Old Guard
by Dark Gear
Summary: 2011 series. Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. What happens when someone from their lost history joins the group of Thunder Cats? Is she capable of showing her mettle against Mumm-ra? Or is she doomed to fall as her friends did from so long ago? OC x Lion-o
1. Obsolete Soldier

(Author's Note: Warning everyone ahead of time, I'm writing this for a friend who is going through a bit of a hard time (chemotherapy) and she requires something to read during her treatments. Considering she enjoys ThunderCats 2011((and apparently My Little Pony FIM, and some other show I have no interest in writing about) and she has always provided constructive criticism for my work in the past and read my stuff, I make this for her. I'm an 80's ThunderCats fan, so I had to do research on the new and improved version (watched 26 episodes, tried to analyze, read a few posts from fans about characters, ignored most of the posts as quite a few were… illegible fanboy writings… read through wikis for other random information that isn't normally remembered, that sort of thing)). Considering there is no response involving a second season for the 2011 series ((I mean after the 26th episode)) and she really liked that show, I figured I'd try and write something up for her to at least try and finish the story. If there is a second season that shows up somehow in the future, consider this AU or whatever.)

(Legal Mumbo: I do not own ThunderCats yada yada yada, copyright ownership of… someone. I own my OCs, that's it. Now on with the story, I hope others will enjoy, and I hope she does too.)

**Episode 27: Obsolete Soldier**

Lion-o sat on a small couch inside the Avian city. Panthro had managed to land it, but just barely. The Berbils were rolling around to different sections of the once floating metropolis, repairing what they could, and generally opening panels everywhere. The Avians tried to stay out of the small furry bot's ways, but every so once in a while the rolled up helpers would ram into their legs or barely scrape by from a misplaced foot.

Lion-o seemed in a miserable mood. Pumyra had betrayed them, betrayed him, and Mumm-ra had the tech stone. His heart felt broken, as the woman he had feelings for had been a spy all along. How did he not see it? How did he not figure it out? What he did seem to notice though, was that he had very bad luck with women, and that they had just taken a significant blow.

"Come on Lion-o; don't blame yourself, you couldn't have known. We'll get the fourth stone, just you wait" Kit said as she walked over and sat next to him.

"I wish that was true Kit… but the book isn't giving a clear position for the last stone. It's been aiming everywhere. Panthro was looking it over an hour ago, but…" Lion-o trailed off, frustrated and depressed.

"We'll find it. Don't you worry" Kat said as he sat down next to his sister.

"Yeah, we will. And we'll stop Mumm-ra from getting it, and finally finish him off once and for all" Tygra said across from him. Cheetara was sitting next to him and leaning against his shoulder. Lion-o gave a small nod but didn't stop looking at the ground. He was slouched and leaning on his knees. The woman he cared about was on the enemy's side, and out for his blood.

"Oh come on, stop moping!" Tygra snapped.

"Tygra… leave me alone…" Lion-o moaned out.

"All this because you lost a girl and the stone. We'll get the stone back! And there are plenty of other girls out there! So what if you had bad luck with her."

"Tygra I'm warning you…"

"Warning me why? Because you feel sorry for yourself? Because she broke your heart? If you really thought like a king, then you'd realize she wasn't queen material to begin with! As I said before, she was gonna break your heart brother. We all saw it. You'll move on" Tygra kept going.

"Tygra…" a low growl erupted from Lion-o's throat, and he was ready to pounce.

"You still have us Lion-o. We're all still alive, and we saved the Thunderian refugees, and now the Avians. She's dead but brought back to life, but they aren't, we aren't, you aren't. Remember that" Tygra finished. Lion-o was about to jump, but the anger seeped away at the mention that he still had his friends, he still had his brother, and despite the fact that Tygra was being harsh, he was trying to help him with his sharp remarks.

"Yeah, who knows, you might fall in love with some Avian girl. Oooohhh!" Kit giggled out. Lion-o had an odd look on his face when everyone laughed.

"I think the beak would cause a bit of a kissing problem" Cheetara joined in.

"Very funny you guys" Lion-o mumbled out. Kit made kissing moves to the air.

"What should we do with the canister pod below the stone holding chamber?" Lion-o heard from a nearby Avian as he talked to another.

"What we should do. Leave it there. It's useless" the other replied.

"But we can use it for spare battery containment. It's taking up space" the first Avian exclaimed.

"Alright, fine, we'll move it to storage" the second finally gave in.

"It's hard to believe that it is capable of emitting a stasis barrier and channeling it around its shell. It helped keep the stone under control, but now that it's gone, it's just sitting there" the first Avian commented.

"Which is why we need to make sure we use the correct tools to move it. If anyone touches it incorrectly they could be stuck to the outside of it forever" the second remarked.

"Stasis? Did someone say stasis? What are you birds talking about?" Panthro spoke up as he came out of a doorway carrying a bunch of circuit boards in a box.

"The pod below the stone chamber" the first Avian replied.

"Hmm…" Panthro grunted out as he put the box down and rubbed his chin.

"Something on your mind Panthro?" Tygra asked.

"Mumm-ra was in a stasis pod when Grune let him loose. Lion-o, your ancestor locked him away in it. Are you sure it's just a pod and not a containment vessel?" Panthro said. The Avians looked at each other.

"We didn't detect any life signs coming from it" the second told him.

"Well that's obvious! The field would obscure it you bird brain! For people who rely so much on technology, you sure don't know how to work with it so well. Show me where this room is!" Panthro snapped.

"Bird brain? Why I never…" the first Avian gawked and crossed his arms over his chest and looked away with a hmph escaping his beak.

"Never used your brain? That's again obvious! Just shut it and show me. It may be important" Panthro said in a condescending tone. The first Avian mumbled something incomprehensible under his breath.

"So… this pod, it might contain something we could use?" Lion-o asked as they headed towards a staircase. The elevators were all out of power, but would be used soon once the Berbils found a way to restore it.

"Maybe not something exceptionally useful, but stasis pods can help with containing equipment that is unstable. Considering the birds could barely keep their own city up in the sky without the help of the stone, I'd say it could be anything from a power source to a corridor field emitter, or anything in between. The stasis field is simply there to make sure it doesn't deteriorate or blow up in our faces" Panthro explained.

"Wow, you sure know a lot about things like this Panthro" Kat commented.

"Well, in Grune's and my adventure to find the book, we came upon a few things that made us rethink how to survive. Improvising and figuring out different technologies was one of the only ways we got out of a few scrapes and binds" he replied as they reached the door. The Avian started to press buttons, but the doors wouldn't open.

"Why are you pressing buttons? Power is out across the city! Don't you have an emergency manual switch somewhere?" Panthro asked.

"Huh? Why would we need that? Power was always available to us in the pas-" the Avian started to say as Panthro stomped towards the doors.

"Stupid flying chickens…" he mumbled out as he tried to wedge his metal claws into the middle of the doors and pry it open. Lion-o and Tygra moved to both sides as they helped get the doors open large enough for everyone to get through.

The inside was dark beyond a few lights on a spare battery, and all of them were fading slowly. The room looked similar to the stone chamber, with a hovering platform in the middle attached to the bridge to the door. Surrounding it were four thin pillars connecting it to the chamber above, along with spokes crisscrossing around the platform attached to the circular wall. Sitting in the middle, was the stasis pod.

"Hmph, it's smaller than I expected it to be" Panthro commented.

"You expected it to be huge?" Kat asked.

"I expected it to be as large as Mumm-ra's, but that's clearly not the case. You said the field is still functional?" Panthro said.

"Yes, and anything that touches it will be frozen along with it" the Avian replied.

"Have you tried applying a power inversion of some sort?" the large Panther asked.

"A power inversion? It's simply not possible, surely you jest" the Avian almost squawked a laugh. Panthro wasn't laughing.

"Dumb birds…" he growled out and turned around to head for the door.

"Where are you going?" Cheetara asked.

"To go get my tool kit. I have a spare "tool" in there just in case I found any vermin trying to chew at the wires in the Thunder Tank" he replied. He walked out of the room and disappeared. Lion-o looked at the stasis pod behind them. It was large, about the size of half a bedroom, with a cylindrical shape. It was lying at a diagonal angle backwards with a large slab of metal attached to the back, with a platform of some sort holding just under it. Lion-o walked around the thing, curious as to the material.

"Lion-o, don't play with it until Panthro comes back" Tygra chided him.

"I'm not gonna touch it okay? I'm just having a closer look" he replied in an annoyed tone. As he looked at the back and the smaller platform that was attached, he noticed small slots and… handles. Could these be used to lift it? Were they used for drawers? Maybe disassembly? He had no idea. Whatever was inside could be useful in stopping Mumm-ra, at least he hoped it was.

"I've got it" Panthro said as he came back in holding a long forked cattle prod.

"That's what you use against vermin?" Lion-o gawked.

"Stops them and cooks them right where they stand… or crawl as the case maybe" he grinned from ear to ear in response. Panthro walked to the pod.

"Stand back everyone" he ordered as the others backed up to the door. As he charged up the prod and pushed it towards the pod carefully, the forked tip touched the stasis field and sparked. Panthro was thrown backwards ten feet.

"Panthro!" Lion-o yelled out as they ran to help him up.

"I'm alright! I'm alright! I'm not frozen… I kind of expected it to do that… now take a look" he said as they helped him up. The stasis field, once a slight sheen around the pod, had dissolved.

"A cattle prod stops stasis fields. That's an interesting hidden fault in the engineering" Tygra said as he scratched his nose.

"Let's see what's inside" Panthro said as he walked forward and looked at the front. He touched the side panels and wasn't frozen. The stasis field was indeed gone.

"Well that proves it. Wonder where the open button is…" he mumbled as he pushed on a metal panel. It flipped around and showed multiple layers of rubber push buttons. Lion-o shared a look with Panthro as they both shrugged.

"Might as well press the green button" the big general said as he tapped his index claw on it. The pod started to vibrate as steam spewed from the sides of the front armored panel.

"Uh oh" Lion-o said as suddenly the armored front panel unclamped and pushed forward. They both backed up as the panel suddenly slid on rotating hinges going up. Both of their eyes opened wide as the others came up, with their eyes going wide as well.

"It's not a something… but a someone…" Panthro corrected himself from his previous statement. Inside, laying on a small bed and held up, was a lioness. She was wearing what looked like a blue tube bra with matching pair of boxer briefs. Her long black hair lay behind her with her short bangs framing her forehead. Her facial markings looked similar to Lion-o's, however she had two black spiked marks coming up from her jaw line heading diagonally towards her nose. Lion-o's mouth slightly dropped. She was quite beautiful.

"Well well, guess we found something useful after all" Panthro chuckled.

"We should get her out of there" Lion-o stated.

"We don't have a manual, but I'm sure the Berbils might be able to help with that" Panthro said with a smile on his face as he scratched the tip of his nose.

**[Two Hours Later]**

"Alright, the pod is opening" Panthro stated as the inside of the pod seemed to change from a light blue to a normal mixture of colors equal to the rest of the room. The front door opened, and unexpectedly, the lioness started to slump to the floor. Lion-o jumped to catch her falling frame. Lion-o realized as he caught her that her fur was incredibly soft, almost like a chinchilla.

"Knight in shining armor" Tygra snickered.

"Shut it Tygra" Lion-o commanded.

"She isn't awake yet. It'll take some time for the effects to wear off. Who knows how long she's been in there" Panthro said as he looked at the Avian.

"What? Don't look at me like that! We didn't put her in there! We always thought it was a piece of equipment!" the birdman stated.

"Alright alright, no blame being thrown" Panthro waved his hand at the Avian as he turned back around to stare at the prone woman slumped in the arms of the Lord of the Thunder Cats.

**[Four Hours Later]**

Lion-o sat near the bed of the lioness. He wondered when she would wake up. He wanted to ask her so many questions. Why was she in there? Who was she? Was she an enemy of Mumm-ra?... was she single? No, that question he couldn't bring himself to ask. That was surely a joke his mind had thought of… wasn't it?

Suddenly, she stirred. Her eyes slowly opened up and blinked, and he saw the most captivating emerald green eyes under her eyelids. She looked around slowly, trying to gain her bearings. Her eyes locked onto Lion-o, with his smiling face.

"Easy, she might be disoriented. Let her get used to being awake. Don't start with the 20 questions" Panthro said quietly as he clapped his hand on Lion-o's shoulder.

"I wasn't… I wasn't going to…" Lion-o stuttered out. The lioness blinked again, staring into Lion-o's eyes. He somehow thought she was staring into his soul, maybe wondering who he was… maybe who her knight in shining armor was as Tygra had put it?

"Hello, my name is-" he started to say just as her eyes bugged and she leaned over the bed quickly, and vomited on the floor right at his feet.

"Lion-o…" he finished as Panthro smirked.

"Disorientation can mean losing her lunch" he chuckled. She groaned a tiny bit as she looked back up at him.

"I… I…" she tried to say. Her voice, from just the first syllables she had just said, sounded low, with a hint of sultriness.

"Take it slowly. It's ok, no harm done" Lion-o said as he looked at his feet. He tried to put his hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged him off slowly.

"My name is Lion-o, Lord of the Thunder Cats. Can you tell me your name?" he asked her softly. He was looking into her eyes again. She seemed to look at him carefully, as if studying him. He smiled at her. She suddenly frowned and turned her head.

"If you intend to interrogate me, get it over with" she said softly as she rolled on her back and looked up at the ceiling. Lion-o looked at the others.

"What? You think… who… do you think we work with Mumm-ra?" he asked. She looked over at him again.

"Don't you?" she asked.

"No! We're fighting to stop him! He destroyed our home! We're doing everything we can to counter all the pain and suffering he'll bring" Lion-o told her quickly. She cocked an eyebrow slightly and blinked.

"My name is Lion-o, Lord of the Thunder Cats" he said, introducing himself. He pointed at each of the other cats in the room and told her their names as well.

"You said that already" she replied.

"Oh" he said, thinking for a moment. Tygra smirked but said nothing.

"Lord?" she asked.

"Yes, I am king" he stated, not figuring out what she was trying to get at.

"Not of me you aren't…" she huffed and looked at the ceiling again. He blinked, confused and not knowing what to say to that.

"Why would you say that?" he asked, slightly annoyed at her answer.

"We don't have Lords on Thundera. That was… heck, that was back in the medieval ages. Presidents and Prime Ministers, yes, Kings, not a chance. Why does it sound like you still work for Mumm-ra and… I see… the friendship interrogation method doesn't work Mr. Lion-o, so you might as well try and swap to a different route" she told him sternly.

"We really don't work for Mumm-ra! Our ancestors did, but that was many centuries ago! Look, how do I show you that you can trust us…" he exclaimed, waving his clawed hands around.

"Lion-o, this leads me to believe she's been in that pod for a very long time. You might want to tell her what you know about our past that the book of omens showed you" Panthro told him. Lion-o looked over at Panthro with a cocked eyebrow, wondering if he was onto something.

"Alright. That sounds like a good idea. Before I start, can I at least know your name?" he asked.

"Major Kalihara Ghost Claw, 8th Regiment, 255th Battalion, 1st Platoon. Soldier ID: 3182940" she answered, still looking at the ceiling. Lion-o didn't really know how to respond to that. The information she had just provided was more than he expected, though considering she felt as if she was being interrogated, she must have spouted it to prove she wouldn't give up any other information.

"Ok Kalihara. Let's hope I got my history right from the book…" he started, as he did his best to remember what it had shown him.

**[Two Hours Later]**

Kalihara was sitting up with the sheets wrapped around her. Lion-o had just finished explaining how they had reached Third Earth, and how the cats had allied with the other animals and sealed away Mumm-ra, and now that he was out again, that they needed to reach the power stones. She looked deep in thought.

"So your ancestor, yours specifically, was Leo?" she asked.

"Yeah. He fought Mumm-ra himself and defeated him" he replied.

"Sorry to hear he's dead" she told him.

"He fought for all of our freedom" Lion-o said smiling. Kalihara wasn't.

"No. He didn't. I wish he was still alive, so that I could put a round in his head. Guess I've again had my revenge taken away from me" she said sternly, her eyes never leaving his.

"Wait, what? He stopped a great evil!" Tygra tried to back up Lion-o.

"He was the main reason half of our people joined him! Lions were shunned for half the war!" she snarled at him. Tygra didn't know how to respond.

"How?" Lion-o asked.

"You've told me your story, and somehow I believe you. Would you like me to fill in the major gap you seem to have from before your ancestor got the war stone?" she asked, her voice leveling back to her normal low tone. If she was angry, she didn't show it anymore.

"Please" Lion-o said.

"Fine then. Don't expect a happy ending though. A long time ago, Mumm-ra was a human" she started.

"Human? What's that?" Kat asked.

"Some sort of alien race out in the universe. They are highly advanced, and have a galactic empire. He was one of them. However, he was nothing more than a terrorist attempting to usurp power from the people who were keeping the peace. He tried to stage a coup, but it failed. He barely escaped. Realize that this was mostly found from bits and scraps of data found in human technology that our people found. We may be missing some other details. Now, he escaped, but he vowed to return. And so he found a ritual that allowed him to communicate with the ancient spirits of evil, four spirits in fact. This gave him enough power that he tried to strike again, on his own, against the human empire" she explained.

"Did he win?" Kit asked.

"Not a chance. He ran with his tail between his legs when he found out their military was far too strong for even his new powers. He had been defeated yet again. And so, with his second escape, he hid in the shadows. He stole a ship, though I don't know if it was human or not as there are apparently other races out there. He decided on a long term plan that brought him to multiple worlds, to act as a messiah to bring order and peace to the universe if lower races, ourselves being one of them, would fight for him. He would uplift us to the stars, and we would be his soldiers" she continued.

"Damn it, so that's why Leo was with him" Lion-o said as he looked at the floor.

"I'm not finished yet. Only half of our race decided to join him, and the rest, the loyalists, fought to keep him from continuing. A great war arose, one that nearly defeated the loyalists. If the humans had not shown up at that time... we might not have survived." The others were completely silent. Kalihara was a loyalist of Thundera, one of the original Thunder Cats to fight against Mumm-ra.

"They pushed him back, and forced him to retreat with the forces he had claimed, but it cost us dearly. We had lost millions, and the attacks from the rebels had damaged our ecosystem. To add insult to injury… the humans… they were originally thinking of uplifting us into their own empire some time ago, but our schism had changed their minds. The humans abandoned us after Mumm-ra left, as we were far too "easy to coerce by an enemy of the empire." We had nothing, while Mumm-ra continued traveling to other planets with his minions under his command collecting other soldiers" she said, looking at Lion-o specifically. He couldn't meet her gaze.

"A miracle, however little, happened, as the humans had left obsolete technology with us to attempt to fight our own war to drive Mumm-ra off. It was nowhere near the awe inspiring technology that they had, but it was far more advanced than anything we ever could think of. We were incredibly lucky that no one came down and picked it back up once they left." Panthro seemed interested in this part.

"What sort of technology?" he asked.

"I wouldn't know about most of it, but I know what I have as reverse engineered for my use as a Special Forces Soldier" she told him.

"Special Forces?" Lion-o asked.

"Yes, what the humans called "Black Ops." We do the military operations that aren't normally given to grunts, high risk, high gain, low chance of survival unless done by highly trained soldiers like myself" she replied.

"Have you seen the humans? What do they look like?" Kit asked.

"I've never seen one myself, but our politicians had met with them. How else do you think we gained the equipment we used? We tried to set off after them, to show we could join, that we were friendly and willing. They were already long gone. We had barely created interstellar travel, and these beings were capable of moving planets it seemed. It was only natural to give us lower technology that couldn't harm them if we decided to completely join Mumm-ra's forces. Now, after the war had finished, and we had done our best to rebuild, smaller groups of soldiers were sent out in quick vessels to find Mumm-ra and continue to perform surgical strikes, crippling recruitment areas, supplies, anything we could get our hands on" Kalihara told them, continuing with her history lesson.

"Mumm-ra must have realized you were still in the fight and wouldn't give up after he had nearly destroyed our world" Lion-o stated.

"Our world? Lion-o, MY world. You were never born there; you were born here. The Thunderian line is a branch of soldiers or some such from what you say. Back home, everyone was a Thunderian. You may be cats, but I don't consider you Thunderians, especially after your ancestors tried to kill mine" she growled out. Lion-o glared at her, growling in response. His anger quickly faded when he realized she was right, and that his ancestors had nearly taken her out.

"That was then, this is now. I would assume you wouldn't place a label on the descendants of the people who did that" he said quietly. She was silent for a moment before closing her emerald eyes.

"Fine. Whatever. Think what you will. If you've been fighting Mumm-ra, than I won't label you as other than a Thunderian" she finally said.

"Thank you" he said.

"Welcome."

"So how did you get in that pod?" Tygra asked.

"I… I'd rather not talk about it" she replied briskly, looking away and staring at her covered legs.

"What? Why?" Lion-o asked.

"Lion-o" Cheetara intervened, and as he looked back at her, she shook her head.

"It could be a traumatic memory for her. Leave it be" she ordered him.

"Moving on… the four power stones. Mumm-ra was taking them from other races humanity had decided to assist in the past. He needed them to stand a chance against the human empire. It seems he couldn't even stop a rebellion on his own ship. Good" Kalihara finished explaining her side of lost history towards the other Thunder Cats. Everyone was silent for a bit as she finished her lesson.

"Right, ok, um… so, do you trust us now that you know we aren't your enemy?" he asked. Kalihara looked at all of their faces.

"Come on, we Thunder Cats have to stick together" Kat giggled as he pumped his fist into the air. Kit agreed.

"I guess I don't have much of a choice considering I'm on an unknown planet far in the future from when I entered that pod" she finally answered. Kit and Kat cheered.

"Glad to hear" Lion-o said smiling as he put out his hand for her to shake. She reached out while still clutching the sheets around her and shook it.

"With all due respect, I'm… not decent, so… I'd like my kit now… unless it's been stolen" she said.

"Kit? Huh?" Kit asked, confused.

"My gear, equipment, armor" she explained.

"Oh! Uh… well, we just found the pod, we didn't see any other boxes or lockers" Lion-o caught on quickly.

"The pod is a locker in its own right. Can… you take me to it?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah, but… Cheetara, could you ask one of the Avians to bring something for her to wear down to the stasis chamber?" the young king asked.

"Understood" she replied and walked out of the room and down the hall. She came back with a light blue dress that seemed incredibly baggy. They all left the room and let her change, and as she came through the door and they looked at her, she looked up in annoyance.

"I look like a penguin" she huffed.

"I think it was made for a penguin" Cheetara chuckled. Lion-o actually thought she looked nice with the dress on, but didn't voice his opinion.

"Good thing I'm only wearing it down to that room then" she replied. Panthro led the team down the hall and towards the stairs that continued some distance until they reached an exit that branched in multiple directions. He took one and headed right through the door into the stasis chamber. The entire time Lion-o was staring at something, and Cheetara poked him.

"Eyes up Lion-o" she scolded him playfully.

"What? No! I wasn't staring! I was just… thinking" he tried to defend himself.

"Thinking about her hind quarters it seems" Tygra joined in.

"Shut it Tygra" he scowled as he looked away from them both and up to the back of Kalihara's head. If she had heard them speaking, she didn't seem to care. He did notice her claws on her feet were well manicured it seemed, as were her claws on her fingers. Was she a noble? Was she royalty back on Thundera? His thoughts strayed as they stopped in the room. Kalihara continued forward towards the pod.

"Some of the control panels might be a bit-" Panthro started to say. Kalihara pressed a few buttons and containment doors opened on all sides of the pod.

"-damaged" he finished as he watched her open different doors and pull out a large footlocker from the bottom. It slid out and opened after she entered her passcode.

"So this is all reverse engineered human technology huh?" Tygra asked.

"Old human technology. She said they had much better. That pod is already a marvel of engineering" Panthro commented.

"That needs a cattle prod to open" Tygra chuckled out.

"Hey, um, do you need any help?" Lion-o asked. Tygra scoffed and looked around the room with a smirk. Kalihara had moved to the back of the pod and opened what looked to be a locker.

"I'm fully capable" she replied.

"Oh, well… okay… then" he said as he stood there not knowing what to do. She was behind the pod where no one could see her, and suddenly there was a sound of the dress moving, and her arm throwing it to the side. Lion-o's mouth dropped slightly, though he couldn't see anything. There was the sound of other clothes moving about, and a zipper, and then more rustling around in the locker. At one point Kalihara was hopping on one leg away from the pod wearing a full body black cat suit, hugging in all the right places.

"Jaw up Lion-o" Cheetara giggled. Kalihara was pulling on another suit even over the skin tight cat suit, and finally got it over her legs and pulled up to her chest. She walked back to the locker and disappeared from view again. When she finally came back out after another fifteen minutes, she had put on another layer of cargo pants above the second suit, what looked to be a black sweatshirt with hood, a RACK harness and panel armor vest, as well as a holster on her right leg. She had a smaller bag attached to her left. What really surprised Lion-o was that her feet and hands, which he had thought were cute, were now covered in boots and gloves. Why a Thunder Cat would wear them and not use their claws was beyond him.

As she started digging through the other containers, he walked up to her. She looked completely different now, as instead of some damsel in distress saved from stasis, she was a Thunderian Special Forces Commander. Her hair was in a messy bun tied behind her head, so that the hood could be pulled up quickly.

"No helmet?" Panthro asked from the doorway.

"I'm not exo registered. Besides, Zero G tended to make me queasy" she replied. She picked out what looked to be an armored jaw liner that she put on. The panels seemed to cover halfway up her cheeks, covering the two black marks in her fur. Her neck was covered in part of the cat suit underneath all of her clothing, but she was also wearing a sand scarf.

"You look like you're getting ready for war" Lion-o asked over her shoulder. She looked up at him, her bangs slightly moving from the turn.

"You said Mumm-ra is still around correct? On this planet?" she asked.

"Yeah but-" he started to say.

"Then I need to be ready for war. We're going to be fighting Mumm-ra, and he has an army correct?" she asked.

"Well, yeah, but… don't you need some time to, well, settle in? Get acclimated?" Lion-o asked.

"I've been to goddess knows how many worlds taking the fight to him before you were even born Lion-o. I've been in that pod for hundreds of years. I'm a Special Forces Commander. I'm acclimated enough" she replied, annoyed that he would even consider her soft. She glared up at him as he put up his hands in defense.

"That wasn't what I was saying. I mean, you just woke up. Shouldn't we give you time to, I don't know, think about everything? I know I just said we'd like you to join us, but that doesn't mean you have to jump in weapon ready. We'll be here for another day I think while the Berbils help repair this city" he said trying to calm her down.

"Thinking about the past leads to memories relived. Didn't you say yourself that you had lost your home? And that woman had betrayed you? Pumyra?" she asked.

"Yeah…" he sighed out, looking away from her.

"Then I need to do what I can to keep occupied until we move" she told him quietly. She continued putting objects into her vest pockets and strapping things to her armor. There were hundreds of loops and locks covering her body now, and it was easy for him to get confused as to what she was carrying. The containers started to dwindle in the assortment of parts and items until she finally started condensing the rest into the footlocker, clipping items to small holds or snaps made for them. There seemed to be a place for everything. At one point, she removed a photograph that she quickly pushed under her vest. Lion-o barely caught a glimpse of it before it disappeared into her clothes, a Tiger and a small Lion cub. They were waving at the camera. The tiger was wearing similar clothes to Kalihara.

"Is that your cub?" He asked. She looked up at him and stood up, clearly annoyed. He wondered what he did wrong.

"You don't get the right to ask me about my past yet Lion-o. That's personal, and kept under wraps" she growled.

"Whoa whoa, sorry, sorry! I didn't mean to make you angry, I was just… you know.. small talk" he said, trying to dodge the death glare she was giving him.

"Way to go smooth paws" Tygra muttered.

"Are you gonna stand around watching me get my kit together or are you going to go do something?" she asked.

"Sorry, uh, the footlocker, you'll need to put that somewhere right? We have a ship now, the Feliner. You can store whatever you need on board. Well… cya later" he answered, backing off. She stood there staring at him receding from her presence as the others walked back through the door.

"I swear to the goddess…" she muttered as she closed her footlocker and grabbed what remained and started placing it in her backpack. Her duffle was already full of her clothes and personals.

**[Twelve Hours later]**

Lion-o couldn't sleep. He was tossing and turning in his bed as he heard the Berbils repairing outside. He finally yielded and got up when the sound of a circular saw engaging near his wall started up, padding towards the balcony. As he walked on, he looked out at the surroundings of the rest of the city. All of it would be gone if Mumm-ra got the fourth stone. With Pumyra's help, he might very well reach it unless he and the rest of the Thunder Cats stopped him. Now, with a new ally, they might very well do that.

He looked to the left, noticing the empty balcony nearby. He realized the room belonged to Kalihara, as she was unknowingly moved into it when they got her out of the stasis pod. The light was off, and the door to the balcony was closed. She was most likely fast asleep. He thought she was incredibly complex and hard to figure out, but quite appealing to his eye. He suddenly shook his head. Everytime he tried to catch the eye of a woman, to get her to like him, it ended badly for him it seemed. Cheetara was in love with Tygra, Pumyra wanted him dead, what would Kalihara think of him? As he thought more about it, he realized she hadn't told any of them her age. She had been fighting Mumm-ra for a while, and there was a cub and another cat in the picture. Could she have been married and had a child in the past? That would mean she was older than he was. There was definitely an age difference between them, though it didn't seem to matter to him in the least. He only hoped it didn't matter to her either, and that she didn't shoot him down like the others.

**[Morning]**

Lion-o finished packing the last of the spare supplies on board the Feliner as the Berbils told him they would continue working on the city. They had gotten basic amenities functional again, but full power would take some time. They had also upgraded the Feliner, with similar augmentations to the Thunder Tank for added travel functions and a mobile base. As the Wily cubs put down a stack of small boxes and tied them to a holding rack, Kalihara walked up the back ramp with her backpack slung over her shoulder and the footlocker rolling on a small fold up dolly. Slung over her other shoulder, securely latched, was a very odd looking rifle. To Lion-o, it looked far more powerful than the weapons the lizards were using. Kalihara was also wearing what looked like goggles, with glowing icons flickering over one eyepiece, more than likely feeding information about her surroundings to her eyes. He had once heard Panthro call it a "HUD."

She rolled the footlocker into a corner and locked the wheels in place, and then pulled out some odd looking string that stretched. Each end had a hook attached, and she wrapped them around the footlocker to connect it to the storage rack. She then sat down near the cockpit with her rifle lying on her lap.

"Impressive weapon" Lion-o said, trying to make small talk.

"Thanks" she said quietly, with no emotion as she didn't even look at him.

"What is it? Does it fire like the lizard's weapons do?" he asked, trying to push further.

"I wouldn't know. I haven't seen how their weapons fire" she replied. He noticed she had some other equipment now attached to her shoulder and side. Some form of sphere was dangling from a strap, with small fans on all sides. It had two lenses, one on the top hemisphere, and the other below it. There were smaller lights or lenses nearby each, and he wondered if it was some form of mobile communications device she was carrying… or automated perhaps? He had seen the drill robot before. Could this be another form of robotics? A drone?

"What kind of rifle is it?" he asked.

"An X-137 Lochlear Modular rifle. It's capable of being altered to fit multiple needs, either short range, rapid fire, or sniping depending on the swap outs, as well as different types of ammunition to suit different hostiles or situations." She sat in silence for a minute as he nodded now knowing what it was. She looked up at him as he just stood there smiling, thinking of other questions. He liked hearing her speak. She didn't want to.

"Anything else?" she asked, clearly annoyed at him staring at her.

"Uh, nothing, nothing at all. We'll, uh, get under way soon" he replied as Tygra took his seat in the cockpit and started pressing buttons.

"Alright, where to?" Tygra asked.

"Well, the book isn't giving us much of a direction. It's pointing all over the place. I wonder if we shouldn't have that dog take a look at it again" Panthro commented.

"Hey, he did all he could, and it didn't look damaged. Maybe… maybe something is interfering with the book?" Lion-o said, thinking out loud.

"A jammer" Kalihara commented. Lion-o looked at her.

"You know what could cause it?" he asked.

"I've taken them out before, and they tend to knock out communications usually. I don't know how it's capable of playing havoc with your book, but I'd suggest we find any forward operations base first, and figure out if any high frequency emissions are transmitted" she explained.

"Yeah, that… sounds like a good idea. Tygra, keep an eye out for… what she just said" Lion-o half mumbled out. Kalihara continued leaning her head against the bulkhead, not really caring where they were going. Everything she knew was gone. She was probably considered KIA by her peers at the time. She had no job, no way off this planet… and no family. She was for all intents and purposes a mercenary for hire, and Lion-o just happened to stumble upon her first.

The Feliner flew high enough that it could watch the surrounding terrain, but it never rose above the clouds. Tygra watched the instruments as Cheetara sat opposite of him in the navigation chair. Panthro sat in the back away from the windows. Kit and Kat were chewing on a pair of candy fruit opposite of Kalihara. An hour passed, and Tygra finally spoke up.

"I think I've got something" he warned as he pressed a few buttons on his panel and held onto his flight sticks.

"Show me" Lion-o ordered, and a view screen in the middle chair winked on. Hidden in a forest nearby was the faint discoloration of camouflage tarps.

"Could that be Slithe's camp?" Lion-o remarked.

"Considering what he has to hide? I wouldn't doubt it" Tygra responded.

"Heads up! We've got incoming!" Cheetara warned as the radar showed multiple blips heading towards them. The lizards had already spotted them.

"Evasive maneuvers!" Lion-o ordered.

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Tygra said as he pushed the Feliner in a dive to slide behind a hill and speed down a river. Multiple skimmers chased after them firing their forward guns. Warbots below opened up on the fast moving ship.

"We can't take them all on! We need a place to lose them" Lion-o commented.

"There! Tygra, head to these coordinates" Cheetara said. She pushed a few buttons and a NAV beacon showed up on his terminal.

"Yes ma'am!" Tygra chuckled. The Feliner headed straight towards a mountain and followed a pass cut through it. It dove around the right side towards a small crevice, and then up into a downward facing cave. The Feliner landed carefully around a small jutting rock, barely hiding the cockpit from the skimmers tracking it.

"Shut down everything" Kalihara commanded.

"What? Why?" Tygra asked.

"If they have anything like a jammer, then they also have a way to track our power and home in on us now. We need to go dark" she explained quickly. Tygra nodded and started shutting down all systems. The skimmers shot around the crevice and stopped, hovering in the air.

"I think they lost us" Cheetara whispered.

"While they might have the capability to track our power usage, I doubt they have anything that can hear us" Kalihara advised as she got up from her seat, her rifle still in her hand.

"This means we need to head out on foot. The only way we're gonna get the book of omens working again is if we take out that jammer" Lion-o told them.

"I agree" Panthro commented from the back as he opened the bay door. All of the Thunder Cats walked off the platform before Kalihara put a hand on Kit's shoulder.

"Where do you think you're going?" she asked.

"To help in the camp" she replied confused.

"You let cubs fight with you?" Kalihara asked Lion-o.

"They've proven themselves before in the past. They're really useful to have around" Lion-o explained. Kalihara walked by him with her hands up in surrender. She clearly didn't like the decision of putting their lives in danger. Lion-o looked behind him as she headed towards the mouth of the cave. She braced herself on one hand as she slid down a boulder and walked with the others following behind. Lion-o caught up with her as she continued walking down the winding path of the mountainside.

"You should wrangle her in" Tygra told him from behind.

"But she didn't… alright" he finally agreed. The young king quickly sped up and walked right next to Kalihara.

"I don't think that's-" Cheetara started to say.

"I am king and I'm allowing them to come with us because they are a valuable addition to our team. You have a problem with that?" he suddenly snapped at her as he kept pace.

"What are you talking about? I didn't object to anything you said Lion-o. Do what you want, I'm just fire support here" she snapped to her left at him as she continued over a small rocky area, and jumped over a small fallen tree with ease as she held her rifle in one hand. Lion-o suddenly realized she hadn't said anything after he explained the situation, and that he had jumped the gun.

"She's cranky" Tygra grumbled with his arms crossed over her chest.

"I think she might have a right to be" Lion-o whispered to himself. The others followed after her, and soon Lion-o was in front of her as she pulled out the folded stock of her rifle and popped the barrel with a hiss of hydraulics. The Lochlear suddenly powered up, with a scope popping out on top.

"You just seem to have a different opinion about how we're doing things here" he said to her as they walked further down and around a small jut out of the mountains rock side.

"Again, I didn't say anything. I'll remain a silent soldier if you want. Do what you will, just can the high and mighty act cause I didn't do anything to deserve it" she said getting annoyed at him continuing to interrogate her for no reason.

"That's… not what I meant… I'm just-" he started to say. He was scrambling to fix the situation. His words were making her more aggressive by the second.

"Contact" she interrupted as she crouched and walked carefully to the side of the path. She dropped to a prone position and crawled to the edge with her rifle aimed. Lion-o joined her as the others dropped to a prone position as well. He pulled out the ocular and watched what she was seeing in her scope.

"Multiple warbots, troops, skimmers. They haven't seen the path yet. If we can get down to the forest floor, we can continue onto the main encampment and disable the jammer" he explained.

"They might find the Feliner though after we've left" Cheetara warned.

"That's true…" Lion-o agreed as Tygra mimed behind Kalihara that he should pick her to stay. Lion-o sighed. So far all of Tygra's advice involving Kalihara had made her even more unfriendly. He was not doing a good job at helping her adapt to where she was. Maybe if he allowed her to relax with guard duty at the Feliner, that she might be able to see that the rest of the group she was traveling with was capable. Tygra continued pointing at her, with Cheetara scowling at her mate for doing it. It seemed to her that he was picking on the newcomer.

"Kalihara, I need you to stay at the Feliner and guard it" he ordered.

"Are you serious?" she said as she glared at him suddenly. He started second guessing what he had just asked her to do in his head.

"Don't question him soldier. These are Slithe's men, and we'll need transport once this is all over. Leave the fighting here to the professionals" Tygra said smiling as he walked forward to help Lion-o. Kalihara looked to Tygra with a cold stare, and then looked back at Lion-o. She simply blinked, and started walking back up the trail without another word. The Wilys watched her go with a sad look on their faces as they looked at Lion-o. Gaining her loyalty just came to a stone grinding halt.

"I think I just made a big mistake. Tygra, don't give me anymore advice for women" Lion-o said to his brother.

"Come on, we don't have much time to waste. She'll be fine in the Feliner. We got work to do Lion-o" Tygra said as the young king nodded. The group headed down the trail quickly and entered the forest as the last warbot walked past.

"Tygra… I think you need to apologize to Kalihara after this" Cheetara warned.

"What? She needs to knock that chip off her shoulder, get rid of all that steam she's been blowing and fall in line" he replied as he shrugged.

"She isn't the one who needs to do that" Kat whispered into Kit's ear. The Thunder Cats jumped from tree branch to tree branch quickly making good distance as they headed upriver towards the main encampment. They all stopped and hid in the bushes.

"Alright… when this patrol moves past…" Lion-o whispered. Two lizard guards walked by with pulse rifles as the Felines bolted towards the back of a tent. They made their way past more tents and under the back of one into an armory.

"We're still a good distance from the jammer, and there are a lot of guards between us and it" Panthro commented.

"We need a diversion then" Tygra replied as he looked at a box of mines. They were square shaped instead of the circles he had used in the past, but they looked very much the same in terms of the controls.

"We should set these up and draw attention away from our target; that way we can sneak past easier and plant the remainder." The other Thunder Cats agreed as they started to gather mines.

"Alright, let's go" Lion-o said as they slowly spread out placing mines in tents where other lizards were nowhere to be seen. They continued in a haphazard spiral pattern until they only had ten left.

"Ok. Let's set this place ablaze" Panthro said as he gave a thumbs up. Lion-o nodded as he pressed the activation button. Nothing happened. The pack he was carrying the remainder of mines in, however, suddenly sprung to life.

"AAAAHHHHH!" Lion-o yelled in pain as the mines sent out a flash of electricity. Guards jumped around the corners as Lion-o lay sprawled on the ground, shocked into unconsciousness.

"Lion-o!" Cheetara yelled in worry as pulse bolts flew towards her. She blocked a few of them with her staff as the remainder flew by, and struck two guards who tried to rush her. A guard came up behind her and butted her in the neck. She crumpled to the ground and tried to roll over, but he hit her again.

"Cheetara!" Tygra yelled as he charged the guard and knocked him to the ground. He threw a punch that knocked him out cold, but other pulse bolts were flying towards them.

"It's a trap! We've got to get out of here!" Panthro yelled as he knocked two guard's heads together.

"Cats. So easy to catch" Slithe said as he stood on top of a skimmer that came over the tent they were behind.

"Whiskers" Tygra whispered as he looked at Cheetara and Lion-o both on the ground not responding.

"Move!" Panthro barked again as he rolled from a barrage of shots and grabbed Lion-o. Tygra picked up Cheetara and they ran as fast as they could. Kit and Kat both knocked the legs out from under two guards that were going to cut them off, one with Kat sliding between his legs and continuing on with his grapple attached to one, and Kit leap frogging over the head of the other and pushing his helmet down.

"Oof!" Panthro grunted as two pulse shots slammed into his back. He fell to his knee as he dropped Lion-o on the ground.

"Panthro!" Tygra yelled as he turned around.

"Go! Keep going!" he yelled as he grabbed structural bars holding up boxes and pulled them as hard as he could. The resulting collapse of barrels and boxes slowed the lizards down. Tygra nodded as he ran, scrambling around a corner and kicking a guard. He pulled out his whip and twirled it around both him and Cheetara, trying to envelop them both with invisibility. It worked, and he continued down a small path between troop tents. He could hear the guards running right behind them, with the Wilycats hot on his heels.

"We got to find a way out of the camp!" Kat yelled as he looked behind him.

"If we just get to the edge, maybe we can regroup and-" Tygra started to say just as an explosion from a nearby tent blew him off his feet and made him drop Cheetara. He rolled, and saw the warbot aiming towards them.

"Dang it…" he grunted in pain as he tried to make his way to where Cheetara's prone form lay. Another round flew and struck another empty tent, keeping him back. Cheetara just lay there.

"Here they come!" Kit yelled and pointed as the guards skidded around the corner.

"We've got to go Tygra!" Kat said as he pulled on the Tiger's hand. He was almost frozen in place. Did he stay and protect his mate? Or would he run and try and rescue her later? Just then he noticed Panthro wasn't behind them… and that meant Lion-o wasn't either. He had to get the last two to safety.

"Let's go" he grumbled out as he pulled himself away from the oncoming enemy force. They charged straight towards the forest, as a warbot fired another round and blew up a tree. They dove into the bushes and rolled, continuing on as they tried to hide in the shadows. The guards chased after, but lost track of where they went. They kept zig-zagging through the trees until they found a small clearing to catch their breath.

"I'm sorry Cheetara… I'll find a way to get you out of there…" he whispered to no one.

"That is not good at all. What do we do? We can't just leave them captive!" Kit said as she jumped up and down with her fists balled up.

"I know! I know alright? Just… give me a chance to think of something" Tygra snapped, but calmed down as he took some more deep breaths. They were down to three Thunder Cats, with the others held captive. How could they have been captured so quickly? The mines were a trap, a fake box of useful equipment that the lizards probably knew not to touch. No wonder they looked different from the others.

"Maybe we should get Kalihara to help us" Kat said thinking.

"No. She can protect the Feliner. We can do this. We've been in worse situations without someone else's help" Tygra said.

"But…" Kat started to say, a look of defeat on his face. He looked at his sister, and she shrugged, though she seemed in agreement.

"It would take too long to get back to the Feliner anyways. We've got to… I've got an idea" Tygra said as he slowly slipped back through the bushes, with the cubs following. As they made their way to the camp again, he saw that the whole place was on full alert now. Warbots were at every corner with some now patrolling.

"Really wish the Thunder Tank wasn't destroyed right about now" Tygra whispered.

"What's the plan?" Kit asked.

"We need to steal one of the Warbots. That should allow us to patrol through the camp and find out where they're keeping the others, and give us some firepower to take out the jammer. One is over… there" he explained as he scanned the area. There was a motor pool on the left facing of the camp. They slipped back into the bushes and made their way around to the other side, dodging guards who were still searching for them. Tygra leapt from tree branch to tree branch as the cubs crawled through the bushes under him. As they got close to the motor pool, they saw it was relatively unguarded aside from two engineers repairing parts. They were so engrossed in their work that they didn't see Tygra climb up into the middle inactive warbot. The cubs followed suit, and soon they had the cockpit closed.

"So Tygra, you know how to work this thing?" Kit asked.

"Shouldn't be too hard. Might be just like flying the Feliner even" he replied as he looked over the controls. He flipped a switch and pressed a few buttons. The large mech suddenly turned on.

"There we go!" he smiled in approval. His foot slowly pressed down on the pedal on the right, and the warbot lurched forward, lifting its leg.

"Uh…" Kat was a little worried as the balance suddenly changed.

"Oh no…" Tygra muttered as the warbot started falling forward. He used the stick controls to align the arms forward and brace off the ground. The engineers looked up from what they were doing at the warbot moving funny.

"What's going on?" one suddenly said as Tygra realigned himself.

"Uh…" he said as he looked around at the controls. He saw one with what he thought was a talk button.

"Ahem… just a problem in the calibrations of the… tectronic… amplifier" he said in as close as he could to a lizard voice. The engineer just stared at the warbot.

"That thing is acting up again? We'll have to replace it then. It should be fine for another patrol, but it needs repair right after" the lizard said.

"Yes. I'll bring it right here after. Um, Ten Four" he sputtered as the engineer went back to working on the piece of equipment he had.

"Phew, that was close" Tygra said as he pressed the talk button again to stop communications. He slowly got the hang of the warbot as he moved it forward and turned it left. Two warbots walked towards him and turned, and he followed right behind them.

"See? We're blending in just fine" Tygra said just as he turned.

"Warbot 23, it has been made aware that your equipment is somewhat malfunctioning. Is this true?" they heard over the coms. A lizard's face showed up on a panel nearby.

"Uh oh" Kat said worriedly as they realized the lizards wanted a response.

"That's… video isn't it? Meaning they want to see our faces?" Kit asked.

"Whiskers…" Tygra whispered as he winced. He thought quickly.

"Warbot 23, do you read me?" the lizard asked.

"Cover the video camera" Tygra said as Kat shoved his hand over the small ocular piece.

"This is warbot 23. We read you. We are having slight difficulties with minor equipment; nothing we, I mean I, can't handle. The repairs will commence after the patrol as planned" he responded.

"Hmm, understood…" the lizard said.

"Oy…" Tygra grumbled.

"Wait, you are having difficulty with your video feed as well?" the lizard suddenly asked.

"Uh, yes, it will be repaired as well" Tygra explained.

"Open your hatch, we can repair it quite quickly with a slot in replacement" the lizard said.

"Oh no…" Kat was really worried now.

"Um, that's really not necessary, I can continue with my patrol without it" Tygra said, trying to save them from showing who they were.

"Admirable to do so in a malfunctioning warbot, but we need them at peak efficiency if the remaining Thunder Cats come" the lizard said.

"Dang it…" Tygra grunted. The other two warbots turned around and looked at him.

"Time for plan B" he whispered as he rushed the warbot forward and slammed the first one into the ground. He fired the pulse cannon on the shoulder into the second one. A loud alarm started going off throughout the camp.

"That's plan B?" Kit asked.

"Not the greatest plan, but it's a plan" he chuckled as he rotated the cannon down at the turtled first warbot. He fired and blew it to pieces and continued forward.

"This thing moves so slow!" he growled out as more warbots converged on their position.

"Alert! Alert! Warbot 23 is hostile! It must be the Thunder Cats!" he heard over the coms.

"Tygra! Tygra don't come! You've got to get out of there!" he heard in the background noise. It was Lion-o.

"Shut it you!" Jackalman's voice said and a thump was heard.

"Lion-o? Lion-o!" Tygra yelled over the coms.

"Here they come!" Kat pointed as two pulse shots flew by the cockpit, mere inches from the armored canopy.

"Dang it… so close…" Tygra growled as he backed the warbot up. He fired as fast as he could, being quicker on the trigger than the lizards. One of them fired a round right into the leg and knocked the bot backwards, blowing the left foot clean off. Warning sirens turned on inside the cockpit.

"Whiskers" Tygra grunted out as he opened the cockpit door and pushed the cubs out. He charged after them as they ran.

"I really think we could use Kalihara's help right about now!" Kat yelled out as they kept going.

"Shut up and run!" Tygra snapped as guards tried to intercept them. Tygra pulled out his whip and struck one down and grabbed at the rifle of the second, twirling it around his head with his whip and slamming it into multiple other guards. He tied his whip to another guard's rifle from over his shoulder, and pulled. The guard spun, smacking his arms into three others and knocking them to the ground.

"Keep going!" Tygra yelled as the cubs jumped into the bushes for the second time that day. Tygra was hot on their heels, but just as he jumped towards the bushes, a pulse shot slammed into the back of his right shoulder. He screamed as he fell into the bushes and rolled.

"Go!" he yelled as he was back on his feet in no time, with the cubs running forward. They ran towards the side of the mountain, with nowhere to go.

"That cave!" Tygra pointed.

"It'll be a dead end!" Kit warned.

"It's still dark and capable of giving us a chance to hole up" he told them.

"I have a better idea!" Kat said as he pulled out the endless bag and started digging below some nearby bushes.

"Not the time WilyKat!" Tygra said as he looked behind them. The sounds were getting closer of guards and warbots.

"There" Kat said as he pushed the endless bag into the dirt and barely covered the top. The bushes made it completely invisible.

"Rokenbus!" Kit yelped as she grabbed Tygra's arm and dove into the bag. Kat was hot on their heels as the bag closed. Tygra fell on top of a large pile of jewelry and gold coins.

"What the… how long have you cubs had this thing? Where are we?" he asked as he looked around.

"Oh, just for a little while. A gift from someone" Kit giggled.

"Yeah, we think it's attached to the astral plane. We can use the bag to hide while the guards look for us" Kat told him.

"Or if they find the bag, at least they might bring it into the camp so we can try and perform another rescue" Tygra said as he thought of another plan.

"I really think we need to ask Kalihara for help" Kit told him sternly.

"We don't need her help. We just escaped a second time. Second attempt is definitely the charm" he told them and winced.

"Tygra, you're hurt" Kit said as she looked at his shoulder.

"I'll be fine. We just gotta wait till… nightfall, yeah, and then we can try again" he told them.

"Fine…" Kat grumbled out, but he shared a look with his sister. She nodded in agreement.

"Well, we at least saved up some candy fruit, and we have some bandages just in case." Kit grabbed some candy fruit sitting on a nearby table, and Kat grabbed a small roll of cloth.

**[Dusk]**

"Glad he's gonna sleep until midnight. Gives us some time to head up the mountain" Kit whispered to her brother.

"Yeah. I know he wants to save the others, but we really need Kalihara's help" Kat said. Kit nodded as they climbed up the trail, now covered in guards.

"This is gonna be difficult" Kit gulped as they snuck around rocks, bracing themselves against one facing while a patrol moved by. Both cubs scurried up through dense overgrown grass as they headed up, but they could barely see two feet in front of them.

"I hope we don't run into any-" Kit whispered. Her head banged against the back of a lizard guard and knocked him over.

"Guards" she whimpered out as they headed in a different direction, the guard now searching for them.

"There they are!" one yelled.

"Oh no! Run!" Kat yelped as they broke into a dead run up the mountainside. Two guards charged after them as they turned the corner beyond the jagged overhang.

"There!" Kat pointed as they saw the cave a mere two hundred feet away. They raced up the mountain, but Kit tripped and fell.

"Kit!" Kat yelled as he turned around. The guards were almost upon her. Suddenly, a loud CRACK! was heard as the guard was blown backwards, and another was heard as the second was knocked from his feet from the hit. Both weren't moving at all, or breathing. Kat helped his sister up and looked at the cave mouth. He couldn't see anything moving. Someone had just saved them. They both continued up to the cave and looked around.

"Kalihara?" Kat asked. Out of nowhere, she materialized.

**[Music: Kazunori Miyaki – LADY]**

Kalihara had some sort of active camouflage that made her perfectly invisible, just like Tygra, except she didn't need a whip for it. Her armor, from what it seemed to them, allowed her to do a lot of things.

"Yes? Where are the others?" she asked, standing up from her prone position. Both cubs were panting as Snarf jumped out of the Feliner and ran to them.

"They were captured. Tygra is in the endless bag we have, waiting until midnight for a second attempt to save them" Kit panted out.

"Second attempt? You made a first attempt already?" she asked looking between them. She moved her special goggles up onto her forehead and blinked at them with her emerald eyes. Her mask suddenly shifted and receded, forming a metal jaw cuff.

"Yes. We tried to save them, but they caught on too quick and-" Kit started to say.

"Slow down. Tell me everything" Kalihara said as she put her hand on the cub's shoulder.

**[Thirty Minutes Later]**

"Alright, I'll help. You two should stay here" she told them as she kneeled on the ground.

"But we have to help! We can't just sit here and do nothing!" Kat whined. Kalihara looked at him.

"Are you sure? This could get extremely dangerous" she said softly. Her voice sounded soothing to them, and reminded the cubs of their mother.

"We wanna help" Kit said.

"Fine then. Get Tygra out of the bag" she said with a sage nod. The cubs recited the word and Tygra jumped out and went sprawling on the ground, his legs bent over his back.

"Ooph!" he grunted as he got up.

"What the… I said we didn't need her help! You two went behind my back!" the Tiger growled.

"We do need her help! Do you have a better idea of getting inside the camp?" Kit put her foot down as both cubs had had enough of his attitude. He opened his mouth, but he really didn't have anything to say. He blinked and looked at Kalihara standing beside the cubs.

"Snarf snarf!" Snarf snapped at him as he sat by Kalihara's leg. Even he was on her side. Apparently sitting alone with her made him take a liking to her presence.

"Fine… not like this situation couldn't get any worse. Knock yourself out" Tygra grumbled out. Kalihara immediately started moving down the trail, with the cubs following. Two guards showed up as Tygra came up behind them, and Kalihara immediately had her rifle aimed and fired with suppressed shots. Both went down with rounds to the head. The ammunition she fired wasn't like anything the cubs had seen. They weren't slugs, but they also weren't the pulse shots the lizards used. Some form of plasma.

"Whoa" Kat said as he was surprised at her accuracy and speed of aiming. She didn't even break stride as she headed along the side of the mountain, breaking away from the trail and moving with almost no sound. At one point she came up behind a stationary guard who she knifed in the neck quickly, stopping him from calling for help. The cubs stayed by her the whole time, almost entirely ignoring Tygra. He was going to take the weapon from one guard with his whip, but Kalihara had already shot it out of his hands as well as fired another round through the lizard's chest, puncturing its heart and taking it down quickly. He felt like a fifth wheel with her handling the situation. He didn't like it.

"Alright, you said they are held in the camp?" she asked. The cubs nodded. The small group hid in the bushes watching patrols.

"More than likely they haven't executed them yet. If they have the sword, and you haven't seen mumm-ra show up yet, then Lion-o and the others are being interrogated as to the whereabouts of the ship and the book" she explained.

"How would you know this?" Tygra asked annoyed.

"Because that's what I'd do if I needed something from my enemies Tygra. They need the book to find the fourth stone" she replied, not even changing her tone as she continued watching the patrols.

"So how do we go in?" Kat asked, feeling as if some of Kalihara's "coolness factor" had rubbed off on him.

"WE don't go anywhere. I'll go in and scout where they're holding them. Once I know their position and disable hostile munitions, I'll create a distraction on the opposite side of the camp-" she started to explain.

"We did that at the beginning of all this lady!" Tygra snapped.

"With enemy mines you idiot. Obviously they were booby trapped. What were you thinking picking those up?" she asked annoyed at his response.

"Whatever, I'd like to hear how you even think you'll get this distraction working" he asked staring her down. She didn't even respond, as she unclipped the spherical drone from her belt and threw it up in the air. The fans engaged immediately, and it floated over the camp. She pulled down her goggles as the sphere became invisible in the darkness.

"Nice" Kit whispered as she watched the small object move through the camp, marking patrols and scanning tents. It fed all of its information to Kalihara's HUD. The drone reached the side of the camp and hovered near a tent, pushing a small gel like object from a dispenser against the material and then floated away to another tent.

"Alright, distraction functional" Kalihara whispered as the drone returned and she caught it in her hand, clipping it back against her belt.

"Stay here. If patrols come by, pull back into the forest" she told the cubs.

"But you said we could help" Kat pleaded. Snarf sat on his shoulder.

"I know what I said, and when I've got the place in complete chaos I'm gonna need strong arms to help get the others out. That's where you come in. The motor pool must have a skimmer of some sort. Get to it, hijack it and bring it back once I've engaged the distraction. We'll need it to quickly get back to the ship" she told them.

"That's the dumbest plan I've ever heard. You don't even know what you'll do once you find them I'm guessing. Hey, there's the next patrol" Tygra said as he berated Kalihara. She was starting to get really annoyed with his attitude, but had a rather long temper it seemed. They kept hidden in the bushes.

"I say we take them now, open a path to-" he started to say. Kalihara grabbed his wrist and slammed his back into a tree. She pushed her rifle barrel right under his chin. Her temper had reached its limit.

"If you so much as do one thing that puts these cubs in immediate danger, I'll put a round in you myself. You've already tried once to save them and failed. Don't you dare put their lives at risk because of your pride and idiocy" she snarled out. Tygra growled, but heard her disable her safety on her, as shown, very powerful rifle. He probably wouldn't have a head anymore if she decided to fire. Kat and Kit weren't coming to his aide. That definitely meant they were more interested in Kalihara's plan, and she was looking out for their wellbeing. They were both still worried at her actions though.

"Alright, alright we'll do it your way. Have at it" he said as she pulled her rifle away from his chin and engaged her mask. As she pulled her hood up over her hair and covered her face, she activated her camouflage. She literally disappeared before their very eyes.

"Heading in" she said softly as there was no sound of her moving from the bushes.

"Good luck…" Kit whispered as the Lioness slipped into the camp effortlessly, as she couldn't be seen. The lizards had infrared goggles to see Tygra, and he wondered why they hadn't spotted her running in plain sight with her camo up. Somehow, her suit stopped any heat from being emitted.

"Ack, one of the patrols is coming this way" Kat whispered and the trio ducked under the bushes. The movement of dirt under them made Kit sneeze.

"Oh no…" Tygra whispered as the patrol came towards them. Suddenly a suppressed round struck the back of one of the guard's heads, and the other had his neck snapped. Both fell to the ground as Kalihara disappeared back into the camp while dragging both bodies towards an empty tent.

"She's good" Kat whispered as the cubs saw she wasn't noticed at all.

"Just lucky there weren't any other guards" Tygra grumbled. There wasn't any movement for some time as they watched the surroundings.

"What's that?" Tygra asked as he brought up the ocular and looked down one path. What he saw made him cringe. Slithe and Monkian were standing in front of all three Thunder Cat prisoners tied to stakes in the middle of the camp. There was a bonfire nearby. And the next person he finally saw, was Mumm-ra. Standing near him was Pumyra, as well as Vultaire.

"Dang it Kalihara, you better be able to do this quick…" he whispered to himself as nothing was happening. Mumm-ra walked forward and said something he couldn't at all hear, and laughed. Pumyra walked to Lion-o and grabbed his chin. She was smiling as she talked, and Lion-o mouthed something. She grimaced and punched him in the stomach. He winced as he looked away.

"Come on come on…" he whispered, clearly agitated.

"She'll save them won't she?" Kat asked.

"I hope so" Kit whispered.

"To all lizards! This place will be the final resting spot for the Lord of the Thunder Cats! Ready weapons!" Mumm-ra yelled throughout the camp.

"Oh no, it's a firing squad!" Tygra said worriedly as he stood up.

"Tygra! Wait! We can't just barge in!" Kit said as she tried to pull him down.

"I can't just let them-" he started to say. Just then, explosions were seen on the other side of the camp.

"They cannot save these three! They are already-" Mumm-ra started to say. Almost as if angered by his speech, an odd WHUMP! sound was heard followed by a small whistling. Another explosion blew up the entire line of riflemen ready to shoot Lion-o and the other two with a mortar.

"Stop them!" Mumm-ra yelled. A grenade rolled from nowhere and took out the leg of a warbot, smashing it into another as both toppled over. Six quick bursts from an unknown rifle sounded as six more riflemen fell. The bindings holding Lion-o and the others were quickly cut from seemingly a ghost.

"No!" Mumm-ra yelled as Lion-o punched a running lizard soldier. Cheetara dashed towards Slithe and slid by him, grabbing the gauntlet of omens he was holding in his hands as Panthro came up and socked him in the jaw. She rolled and grabbed her staff sitting on a nearby table and ran to Lion-o, tossing the gauntlet into the air. Pumyra shot it, deflecting its movement and making Lion-o miss. A second shot was heard, however, making it land right on his arm.

"Amateur" Kalihara whispered as she turned off her active camouflage. Pumyra was taken aback by her appearing, a goggled soldier with a rifle that completely rivaled her arm crossbow.

"Another Thunder Cat!" Monkian roared as he charged.

"Bad idea" she whispered as he stepped on a land mine she had placed. He was blown back through a tent, but his thick skin protected him from most of the damage.

"No one ever listens to me…" she grumbled as she provided covering fire for the others to retreat. Pumyra ran around a tent as she fired a spread from her crossbow. The small rounds did nothing to Kalihara's armor, but the Thunderian Soldier returned fire. Pumyra barely dodged, but one round singed her right arm as it passed. She disappeared with Mumm-ra before Kalihara could finish her.

"How did you get in… I don't want to know. Good to see you here" Lion-o said as he smiled at Kalihara.

"Thank me later, move move move!" she commanded as she threw a flash bang and fired a few more rounds.

"We still need to take out the jammer!" Panthro yelled as they headed away from the camp.

"Already taken care of" Kalihara told them. She activated another trigger on her HUD, and multiple limpet mines, her own, went off. The jammer collapsed down across the camp, destroying a quarter of the tents with its destruction.

"Nice go-" Lion-o started to say just as Kalihara veered away from them.

"Head that way, the cubs and Tygra are waiting, I'm getting my secondary objective" she said as she disappeared behind a tent.

"Secondary objective?" Cheetara asked confused.

"No idea, but she can take care of herself it seems, and she's got a plan" Lion-o said as they continued out of the camp.

"Lion-o!" Kat waved from a skimmer as he shot over them.

"Good to see you guys are alright. We need to wait for-" Panthro said just as Kalihara rolled under a tent backing and hauled straight towards them with maps in her hands. She quickly stowed them in her left holster bag as she re-shouldered her rifle.

"That's what she was getting? Paperwork?" Panthro asked.

"Those can help us avoid any other camps, and save countless lives from being ambushed. She was right to grab those while she had the chance" Lion-o sternly said.

"Hmm, she can hold her own after all" Panthro said.

"I can hold more than that General. Make yourself useful and man the turret" Kalihara said as she jumped onto the skimmer and pushed him aside, crouching near the back with her rifle ready.

"What? Did you just order me to-" Panthro growled.

"I'd listen to her if I were you, here comes more baddies!" Kat said as he pointed to the camp. Multiple surviving warbots came towards them, firing their pulse cannons.

"Alright Tygra! Get this junk heap moving!" Kalihara snapped.

"Here we go" he acknowledged as the skimmer shot towards the mountain. Lion-o ran up next to Kalihara as she fired from an underslung on her rifle, launching small rockets from it and reloading each time. Lion-o pulled out the sword of omens and lengthened it, firing a red beam from the eye and blowing two skimmers out of the air. Kalihara had already taken out seven.

"There's just too many of them" Cheetara yelled over the wind flying by as she blocked a pulse shot trying to hit Tygra. Lion-o turned and saw a small piece of equipment on Kalihara's shoulder pop up and fire three small missiles. The explosives flew off quickly and slammed into another three skimmers. Two of them were destroyed, and the third lost control and rammed into another nearby. She was already reloading the tubes with a fresh magazine.

"Backup is inbound, keep going" Kalihara responded.

"Backup?" Tygra asked as he looked at Cheetara.

"Thunder Actual, this is Blue Lead ready for drop" they heard on the skimmer communications.

"You called the Avians for aerial support?" Tygra asked amazed.

"Blue Lead, coordinates are being transmitted. Drop your socks, grab your throttle, we need fast movers on targets. Like shooting fish in a barrel out here, take your pick and fire and will" she ordered.

"Roger Thunder Actual. Commencing volley run now" they heard. Missiles flew from nowhere in the darkness as a wing of Avian fighters were up in the air high above and firing down at the enemy skimmers and warbots. Pulse rounds flew from the left side as they neared the mountain. Slithe and Monkian were riding it, firng at them.

"Blue Lead, I need a special package delivered by close air, target is lazed. Bring in the beam rider" Kalihara ordered as she shifted her rifle across Lion-o's chest and aimed at Slithe's skimmer.

"What is gonna… oh…" he suddenly got what she was doing as he looked at Slithe, and alongside Kit and Kat, smiled and waved at the lizard general.

"Hey! Yeah you! Bye! Good bye! Don't forget to write!" Lion-o yelled out as he and the cubs waved to them. Slithe seemed confused, and just then told Monkian they needed to jump from the skimmer just as a fast moving Avian fighter shot by and blew up the back engines.

"That pilot has great accuracy" Lion-o remarked.

"No he doesn't, I had to lead that missile in" Kalihara replied as she ran to the front of the skimmer. She looked back at Lion-o quickly.

"Do you need medical attention?" she asked quickly.

"Huh? Uh, no, just a little sore, thanks for asking" he replied with a small smile. She had asked if he was ok. His heart somewhat fluttered.

"Good. Cheetara, Panthro, are you wounded?" she asked right after. Maybe she was just checking with them.

"My head feels like someone had played kickball with it, but I'm alright" Cheetara told her. Panthro waved her off.

"I'm shooting things, so that means I'm fine" he told her as he fired across their bow towards another skimmer.

"Concern for all of us…" he whispered more to himself as she moved away and dropped to a crouch. There were still lizard soldiers and warbots near the other side of the mountain that they needed to contend with though. They weren't out of the woods yet. Literally.

"Blue Lead, do you have ordinance available for clean up of eastside topo?" the Special Forces Soldier asked.

"Negative, we're running out. We need to head back to the city. Good luck out there" the Avian responded.

"Whiskers…" she whispered. Lion-o was surprised that she had said that.

"Hang a right and move high!" Kalihara commanded.

"What? Why? We're almost at the ship" Tygra asked.

"Don't argue! If you head straight in, you won't even get out of the cave before you're shelled! Do it for goddess sakes!" she snarled. Tygra pulled up near a mountain cliff as she told him to do. Before they could object, she jumped off and rolled.

"Now keep going, you can pick me up after. Gotta improvise here" she yelled as she slid on her kneepad and flipped, laying in a prone position in an instant and having her rifle aimed downwind at the surrounding area.

"Step right up! Step right up and win that mystery prize!" she chuckled out as she fired death from above. Tygra drove the skimmer straight to the cave and landed as the others ran to the ship cargo platform.

"Fire up the engines fast!" Lion-o commanded.

"She's warmed up and primed" Tygra replied.

"Hold right there!" a lizard soldier ran towards the platform. Snarf ran right towards him with Kat's grapple in his teeth, and wrapped the wiring around his legs and hauled right back to the ship. Kat pulled and the soldier's legs jumped right out from under him. Cheetara leapt out of the back and smacked him with her staff, knocking him out.

"Cheetara! Back inside!" Panthro yelled out. His arms stretched out and punched two soldiers across the cave area before coming back as the platform closed.

"And… we're out" Tygra said as the Feliner headed up into the sky.

"There she is! We gotta get her" Lion-o pointed at the view screen over Tygra's shoulder. Kalihara had lizard soldiers coming up behind her now, and she was braced against a rock with her rifle blind firing. She dropped a grenade off the side as a warbot tried to follow the path to her, and blew its arm and pulse cannon off.

"She's in trouble!" Lion-o ran to the back, opening the cargo door. He leaned out with his arm outstretched, yelling for her to run and jump. She looked up at him and saw two pulse shots fly by her shoulder. She got up and broke into a dead sprint after throwing a flash bang, and just as she leapt, shot out a cable line from her left arm instead of grabbing Lion-o's hand. He was surprised as she swung into the bay as the door closed, with her rolling and disconnecting. She already had her rifle to her shoulder and aimed at the door in the event anything tried to follow her. Every movement was trained and precise. Lion-o was definitely impressed.

"Get us the heck out of here" she grumbled as she lowered her rifle.

"Agreed" Lion-o said as Tygra pushed the engines to full.

"The jammer is no longer playing with the book. It's pointing in a direction now" Panthro yelled back as Kalihara looked at Lion-o, her begoggled visage eerie, and turned around to walk to a bench to sit on.

"Head towards it" Lion-o commanded. His eyes kept on Kalihara as she sat down and pushed her goggles up to her forehead, her mask retracting to her jaw.

"Thanks for the rescue" he told her with a smile plastered to his mouth.

"All in a day's work. Oh, and Tygra-" Kalihara said as Tygra turned to look over his shoulder "-leave the fighting to the professionals; you know, the ones who get PAID for this type of work, not doing it for a hobby" she finished. Tygra growled and looked back at the view screen. Kalihara sighed and relaxed as her eyes closed. When she opened them, Kit and Kat were sitting right next to her.

"Huh? What do you two want?" she asked.

"We just happen to sit on this bench. Why? Are we not allowed to sit here?" Kit asked.

"Uh… no… just…" she started.

"Great! Oh my, I'm really tired after all of that" Kat interrupted as he stretched.

"Me too" Kit replied as she yawned. Kat immediately had his head leaned against her shoulder as Kit worked her way to having her head on Kalihara's lap. She had to move her rifle quick enough for her to not bonk her head.

"What the… oy… alright you two…" she started to say, but they were both fast asleep. Lion-o watched as her confusion turned into a small smile, as she looked down at Kit's head and stroked back her hair softly.

"Should be smooth sailing from here" Cheetara said as she came up next to Lion-o and looked in the direction he was. She smiled.

"She's had practice" she whispered.

"How can you tell?" Lion-o whispered back.

"Look at how she treats Kit. A mother's touch."

Lion-o looked at Kalihara's gloved hand pushing Kit's hair away from her face and behind her pointed ear. His smile slowly fell away as he realized that she had once had a mate, and a cub of her own. They must have been the cats in the picture. Her heart belonged to someone else, someone that had lived hundreds of years ago. He hadn't even found someone who would stick with him, and Pumyra wanted to kill him. She had far more experience about the universe than he did. What did she think of him? A friend? A youngster? A King? Could she see him as something more? He had no idea, and suddenly felt daunted by whoever it was that was in that picture. He was wearing the same armor she was, and therefore fought as she fought. Those were some incredibly large shoes to even try and find out who they belong to, let alone fill.

Only time would tell as they headed towards the next stone.

(Author's Note: So, yeah, Kalihara sounds like a Ghost Recon soldier… and yes, I took some inspiration from that, but I had her clocked before the game came out. Considering Ghost Recon is based on real future tech in the works now, her gear is more of a mixture between Ghost Recon and Mass Effect. Oh, the drone to me looks like a mini death star… no, it doesn't come equipped with a super laser, and no it doesn't have a micro vent for torpedoes to fly into. Considering parts of the new Thunder Cats has Star Wars inspiration, I figured why not add someone who acts a bit more… mature in the group… this chapter would be considered an episode. Please keep an open mind and review!)


	2. Secrets From The Underground

**Episode 28: Secrets From The Underground**

**[Two in the morning]**

"We need to set down" Tygra told everyone.

"What's the problem? Has the Feliner been hit?" Lion-o asked.

"No, but I'm not gonna fly us straight through the night after everything we were just through. Mumm-ra doesn't know where the stone is, but we do, and it can wait until we've had some sleep under our belt" Tygra explained.

"Hmm, agreed. Set us down somewhere, preferably with water nearby" Lion-o commanded.

"No problem" Tygra replied as the Feliner slowly came down to a clearing near the end of the river. There was desert surrounding the area.

"Hmm, must be an underground spring or something" Panthro commented as he walked out of the ship and saw in the distance the river stop just under a hill.

"There was a lake nearby. Wonder if they're connected" Cheetara commented as she got up from her seat. Lion-o turned around just to see Kalihara softly move Kat and pick up Kit. The cub was cradled in her arms as she walked towards the small bulkhead door that led to the newly acquired bedrooms. Since the Feliner had limited space, the rooms were nothing more than small closets with enough room for a bed, a sink, a toilet and a pull out accordion shower door with a flip out shower head. The drawers were installed into the wall. It was all very condensed.

Kalihara carefully pulled the sheets back and tucked Kit into her bunk bed, as Kat slept just above her. Lion-o caught on quickly and picked up Kat, and then followed right behind silently. Just as Lion-o put Kat into the above bed and pulled the sheets over him quickly, he looked down to see Kalihara bring the sheets up to Kit's neck.

"Mommy…" Kit mumbled out, dreaming of something. Kalihara brushed some hair from Kit's face gently, trying not to wake her up.

"Sweet dreams" she whispered and gave her a small kiss on her forehead. As she got up and turned around, her eyes met Lion-o's. He was surprised at how gentle she was towards the cubs.

"What?" she whispered at the surprised look on his face.

"Nothing; nothing at all. You were just so gentle with them" he whispered back.

"You should always be gentle with cubs" she told him as they both walked out and closed the door.

"I know that. It just seems like…" he started to say.

"Seems like what?" she asked. He thought for a moment. She already told him she didn't trust him enough with her past. If he pushed, she would get angry. He wondered who she was before they found the pod. It had been a question he had since she had snapped at him while gathering her gear. No… "kit". She had brought her kit. She looked at him questioningly.

"Nothing, never mind" he finally answered with a small smile. It was late, and for all he knew, she'd be even crankier after everything that had occurred in such a short time. She gave a small shrug and walked around him to head towards the cargo bay.

"Where are you going?" Lion-o asked.

"To grab my footlocker. I haven't been assigned quarters yet, so I assume they've all been taken" she told him over her shoulder as she stopped.

"Oh! No! No not at all! Sorry. Here, um… this one" he sputtered out, pointing to the bedroom second from the left. There were eight rooms in total, with a small room in the back that was actually much bigger than the bedrooms. It had everything condensed into the walls as well, including the kitchen and chairs. There was no storage room due to the engines getting larger, so they had to store everything to the sides of the cargo bay, which happened to also be the exit to the ship, and constrained how much they could ever collect if they went foraging or hunting. Kalihara had quickly mentioned in the last hour that there should be a cargo net installed above the bay, and Panthro immediately agreed. They would have to get a net from a nearby town on their next stop once they had taken off again.

"This one? Alright" she replied as she pointed to the bedroom he pointed at. It just so happened to be right next to his, not that it mattered much due to the small hallway. The others hadn't laid claim to the rooms yet, and it was naturally assumed the bunk room would be Kit and Kat's. The others weren't even used as of yet.

Kalihara continued towards the cargo bay to get her footlocker and duffle bag, and came back through the hallway and opened the door. She stepped in and picked up both in her arms, which made Lion-o realize she was quite a bit stronger than he had thought she was. Considering she had been trained in a number of ways to be a Special Forces Soldier for Thundera, he should have found it obvious. She wasn't a fragile flower by any means.

"I'll see you in the morning then" she said from the door nonchalantly.

"Yeah, see you in the morning" he responded back. She closed the door, the hiss of hydraulics as it slid over the opening. He smiled somewhat and looked at the floor. The vision of her emerald eyes played in his mind. He chuckled as he thought the feelings he was having were silly, as he was acting like a cub that had a crush on his female instructor. However, he really did like her despite the fact she was blunt with the rest of the group. Panthro was perfectly fine with her beyond the attempt at ordering him around during the harrowing escape, as she could "talk shop" with him easily. Despite her being a soldier, she was also quite good at engineering. From what she said from small talk with him, that Special Forces had to know basic mechanics to get a vehicle viable for "dust off." They also had to know how to field and repair their gear, whatever it was that they had assigned to them, which was a lot it seemed to Lion-o. Her adaptive skill set alone was definitely useful to have around with the group. She had explained she was "nowhere near as good as the team's engineering specialist."

Lion-o walked to his door as Tygra walked through the small bulkhead entrance towards another room. Cheetara followed, right behind him, into the same room. Lion-o frowned as they closed the door. It still hit a nerve that he hadn't seen the signs that she wasn't interested in him. Maybe he might have better luck with another woman…

He opened his door and walked in, with snarf curled up on his bed already. As he took off his armor, his toned and tan furred body being revealed as he removed his chest plate and pauldron. As he removed his greaves and flopped in bed staring at the ceiling trying to sleep, he couldn't get the thought of those emerald eyes out of his mind. He giggled for a second as snarf moved to accommodate his feet. Butterflies were flying around in his stomach. He cared for her, he just had no idea how to express it, and he was worried she wouldn't feel the same. He just had to find the right time. He knew, however, that if he gave her flowers, to check to make sure they didn't squirt anything. That was a must.

He fell asleep somehow dreaming of a black haired lioness sitting on a stone carved bench in a white hanging dress near a beach, and as he got closer she slowly turned her head towards him with a giggle…

**[Morning]**

Lion-o woke up groggily and walked to the corner. Snarf had found out how to open the doors right at the beginning without help, so he wasn't in the room. He looked around and turned on the lights. His hands fumbled with the control to pull the accordion door for the shower out, and as he did so and sealed it tight around him so the water wouldn't hit anything outside, the shower head popped out… and he hadn't set the dial yet.

"Ah! Cold!" he shivered and yelped as ice cold water poured out on him. If he wasn't awake before, he was now. He grabbed the dial and turned it to the right.

"Ah! Hot!" he yelped again as he turned it to the middle. Apparently middle was, as his brain remembered, usually the balance for all things. He looked annoyed at himself as he took a shower quickly, and as the shower shut off after five minutes, realized he didn't even have time to enjoy the warm liquid after the incredible awakening. The shower head flipped back and multiple nozzles popped out. He was worried they'd do something painful to him now, but all they did was blow warm air all over his body to dry his fur.

"Thanks Robear" he chuckled out as the nozzles popped back in and he pulled back the door. He pulled on his underwear and his pants, buckling his belt right after. He realized he would eventually need to wash his clothes. Luckily, the back room also came with a small washer and dryer next to the kitchen. It was amazing what technological marvels the Berbils had installed to help the Thunder Cats inside the Feliner. He attached his armor clasp by clasp, buckle by buckle and stood up. Lion-o looked into the mirror and smiled, showing his teeth. He realized his hair was a bit wild at the moment, and tried to comb his claws through the red flow. It somewhat worked, as he tried to pose to look good.

"Hey, good morning Kalihara, how are you… no…" he said to the mirror. He started practicing lines, trying to make himself look suave as he came out and joined his fellow Thunder Cats. He finally settled on one, and opened the door. As he walked into the back room to the kitchen, as he expected everyone to be in there, he noticed everyone was sitting aside from Panthro, who was at the small stove cooking what looked to be fish.

"Good morning" he said as he padded to the others.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" Cheetara asked.

"Yeah. Berbils really went all out. Is that fish? Where'd you catch it Panthro?" Lion-o asked as Kit and Kat both dug into their already cooked plate.

"I didn't catch anything. Kalihara went out early with a fishing line I didn't even know she had. She caught one, cut out the insides and used that to catch the rest. Dang impressive" he replied as he put another fish on a plate and poured some cooked potatoes and carrots.

"Where'd you get the vegetables? I thought we only had dried or powdered" he asked, wondering if Kalihara had also found those as well. She was industrious it seemed.

"No. None of us knew it at the time, but one of the pieces of equipment she had in that trunk of hers… it's some sort of miniature Hydroponics farm. It can't carry much, but as long as she can get the seeds for it and the water, there's no need for soil and it stacks neatly in a corner" Panthro explained as he pointed near the stove. The small cylindrical pod was clear around the wall, with what looked to be unknown machinery on the top and bottom. There were layers of vegetables already growing, with some odd green sludge that they were all sitting in. He even saw small spray nozzles above each layer on their roofs turn on, dousing the growing food with much needed water. He had no idea she kept things like that with her. He wondered just how long Special Forces Soldiers had to stay out in the field without any help or resupply. Considering they were fighting for their homes and their lives, he wondered if she had lost hers on Thundera, and had to travel with her unit. He could only imagine how hard of a life she had lived.

"Does that green stuff run out?" he asked.

"It does, but she said she knew how to mix found ingredients together to make more of it. Stuff is like super fertilizer. Only reason we have vegetables right now is because of that goop in it" Panthro said as he sat down with his plate and placed another in front of his king. They both ate quickly, as the fish had been cooked well.

"Where is she by the way?" he asked.

"Dunno. She'll be back soon I'm sure. Make sure you all save any seeds from the vegetables if there are any in the future. She can reuse them" Panthro told him.

"Can't live without her can you?" Tygra goaded with a chuckle and a small smile. Lion-o looked up from his food with a glare, but he saw Tygra wink at him. He wasn't trying to be mean, just noticing how Lion-o acted around her. His confidence and courage seemed to dissipate when she was near him, far more so than with Pumyra or Cheetara. His knees literally went weak. She, however, continued on, keeping her head down and her mind on the next target.

"Not today Tygra…" Lion-o groaned out.

"Why are you interested in her? She's older than you, that's for certain. Lemme guess, she's out of this world?" Tygra goaded him.

"I don't know ok! Just… I don't know… don't tell her alright? I'll figure out my own love life" he snapped and calmed down all within five seconds as he looked away from his brother.

"Whatever happens is between you two. Just remember she may shoot you down" the tiger Thunderian warned him.

"I hope she doesn't…" Lion-o muttered out. He was nineteen while she was… he didn't know.

As if on cue of thinking about her, Kalihara walked in with another line of caught fish.

"Nice! That should hold us over for a few days" Panthro laughed out as she placed the fish on a small counter and started cleaning and gutting them quickly and efficiently, and then opened up a small drawer under the refrigerator and shoved each fish in carefully, as there wasn't much room. As she closed it and pressed a button nearby, a sound of something locking and turning on came from that drawer.

"We have an instant freezer as well" Panthro told Lion-o.

"An instant freezer? Wow" he whistled. Kalihara walked over to the small little table near the stove and cleaned the refuse from it that she had taken out of the fish, and pulled from a small bag at her hip a rough block of… salt.

"You found some?" Kit asked.

"Yeah, wasn't hard to find for me" she responded without looking back as she pulled from a loop attached to her now green cargo pants a chisel tipped hammer. She broke the block carefully into smaller pieces and put them into some metal cylinder the size of her palm. She then turned a dial on the top consistently, and they heard the salt grinding.

"Marvel she is" Panthro whispered. He was just happy he had condiments for his food from what Lion-o could figure. Kit jumped up from next to Cheetara and ran to her. She had her plate in her hands, jumping up and down.

"Ok, calm down" Kalihara said as she opened the cylinder and shook some of the contents onto the fish.

"Thank you thank you thank you!" she laughed out as she sat back down and ate. Kat was hot on her heels as he got up to get some salt as well.

"By chance, this was all caught from the river right?" Panthro asked, as Lion-o sat looking at Kalihara as she put the tube into a wall drawer.

"Affirmative. Haven't checked the lake for anything of value yet" she replied as she closed the drawer.

"All this before breakfast" Tygra grumbled out.

"You're just mad she did all this while you were snoozing" Panthro shot out.

"A Tiger needs his sleep! I was wounded!" he replied with exasperation.

"Whine whine whine! We should have already gotten back in the air!" Panthro waved him off as he finished his food.

"Just so you can cover your eyes again?" Lion-o's brother retorted.

"Hey!" Panthro growled.

"Relax, both of you" Lion-o told them.

"Fine fine, I won't go any further with scaredy cat" Tygra chuckled out with his hands up in surrender.

"If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't even be flying in the first place!" Panthro growled.

"LOCK IT DOWN! BOTH OF YOU!" Kalihara roared. Her voice echoed through the room like thunder. Everyone looked at her. She had one heck of a voice when she wanted to use it. Commanding.

"If we have to put you in opposite corners of the room like cubs, then we'll do it! Cause that's what you are both acting like!" she snapped. They both didn't say a word. She had a right to tell them what was what with everything she had just done in the last twelve hours. Tygra looked down at his food as Panthro took his plate and put it in a small dish washer, which happened to be the size of a large shoe box.

"Out of curiosity, everything I've seen so far is taking water. Do we have a reserve?" Lion-o asked suddenly.

"Yes, we do, and it's actually dwindling right now" Panthro said as he got up from his crouch and turned the dish washer on.

"Considering we're near the river, I'd say we go collect some and bring it in to top us off" Tygra commented.

"I agree, however not the river" Kalihara said as she leaned against the wall and crossed her furred arms over her green tank top. Lion-o saw tattooed under the fur on her left arm was a heart with a ribbon on it, and the name "Toby" inscribed. Below that, was a Thunderian Special Forces emblem. She wasn't kidding that she was from Thundera, or combat trained for high risk operations. Both were visible despite her fur, as somehow whoever did it changed the pigmentation of her hair follicles. Her right arm had a smaller tattoo of a knife through a skull. She was also wearing a metal necklace with two tags dangling from it that had information etched into each.

"Why not the river?" Tygra asked with distaste towards her objection.

"Because the particulates from the fish spawning and defecating in the fast moving water, as well as dirt and small rocks, can clog any filtration systems quite quickly if we aren't careful. Do YOU want to go crawling through the ship scrubbing HEPA filters and GAC nodules?" she asked.

"What's a HEPA filter?" Kat asked.

"Something that keeps bad stuff from getting into the air, and the GAC nodule does the same thing for liquids along with other layers that help" Kalihara explained to him softly. She was far nicer to the cubs than the adults. They at least acted their age because they were young, as they didn't know any better.

"So… we don't want those breaking. I agree with her" the male cub said.

"Count me in" Kit commented.

"We can always go back to the Berbils and ask them to clean the ship's filtration system" Tygra grumbled out.

"That's the opposite direction Tygra. That isn't happening. We go to the lake. That's an order" Lion-o said as he turned his head and looked at Kalihara. She didn't nod or thank him at all, just accepted what he told them to do. To her, he must have just agreed to a better choice.

"I'm getting ganged up on…" Tygra growled as he looked at his plate and stood up.

"Tygra, it's not that big of a deal" Cheetara told him quietly as she put her hand on his shoulder. He settled down a bit as he looked at her.

"Alright, fine… how many buckets do we need to bring?" he asked, accepting what they needed to do. Kalihara raised an eyebrow as she looked at him.

"We don't bring buckets. These jerry cans will do the trick" Panthro said as he picked up one sitting in the corner. It was light blue, and Kalihara immediately knew it was water because of the coloring of the metal paint. However, Panthro picked it up with ease, as the jug was almost dwindling in its life sustaining liquid.

"It was just a question of amount Panthro. Alright, let's get to it" Tygra sighed. Kalihara walked out of the bulkhead door and headed to her quarters, and then closed it.

"Great, she's gonna have us do all the heavy lifting" Tygra grumbled.

"She's already pulled her weight before we were awake. I think she's just getting ready for the day Tygra, considering she's already gotten us breakfast, salt, and-" Lion-o started to say.

"Some fuel apparently" Panthro said as they all exited the cargo platform.

"Fuel? Thunderium crystals?" Lion-o asked shocked. Where did she find those?

"No, liquid. She called it "Kerosene". She said it was useful for a multitude of things, and could be a good bargaining chip once we see another town. Surprisingly enough, she found it in a jerry can just lying out there" Panthro explained as he pointed to a gray jerry can at the top of the cargo platform next to the other boxes they had tied down.

"Wonder where she found that" Lion-o whispered. Any flammable fuels lying around had to come from pools, and he didn't see any brought up on the view screen. Anything flammable that caught on fire when the ship got into the air could spray onto the outside of the Feliner and damage the engines on takeoff. She must have found some further away he figured. Or, someone else left it out accidentally and she retrieved it. Regardless, it would be helpful.

"Dunno, but she's resourceful" the large General said as he turned around. Kalihara came out wearing her armor and gloves again, ready for combat. Her rifle was snapped into a back holster with locks keeping it in place. Her backpack was strapped on, with a smaller bag connected to the side filled with two small jerry cans and two canteens. If it was heavy for her, she didn't show it.

"Alright, let's head up there" Lion-o said as he picked up two jerry cans sitting in the corner. Each person grabbed two, with the cubs grabbing smaller containers due to their strength. Kalihara was the only one who had hers carried in a bag, and the others realized it wasn't the only spot she had containers in. It seemed her entire pack was filled with four more jerry cans and four more canteens, as well as two more canteens strapped to her belt. She also had a waterproof bag folded up in a pocket on her cargo pants, as well as a water pack strapped under her backpack with a tube that reached across her shoulder for drinking.

"Are you going to be able to carry all of that back once it's full?" Lion-o asked.

"I'm capable" she replied as she continued towards the lake.

"Hey, if she wants to break her own back, fine, let her" Tygra remarked.

"Tygra…" Lion-o growled.

"If she's capable of doing it, don't try and stop her brother" he said over his shoulder at him.

"Huh, a different view considering just a minute ago you were against everything she said" Lion-o told him.

"I'm against her giving orders. I'm not against her experience. She's already proven what she's able to do from last night. Only she knows how far she can go" Tygra waved an empty jerry can in the air as if he was waving off the question. Lion-o looked at Kalihara as she stepped across the dirt, leaving abstract blocked footprints from the soles of her boots compared to the clawed bare footprints from the others. He needed to stop thinking she couldn't handle herself.

He looked down at her boots, studying them. He knew they were a completion of her armored suit to allow for an expansion of the armor abilities, but he wondered how it felt wearing them. Due to her not walking around bare foot all the time like the rest of the Thunder Cats did, she must have softer non-callused pads compared to his. He just remembered that her fur was softer than anything he had felt as well, and wondered what she did to keep it that way. Cheetara and Pumyra couldn't come close to that softness, nor snarf when he picked him up. Come to think of it, he had no idea if that was physically possible without aide from some chemical she put on it. At that moment, Cheetara had asked just that question of her.

"How do you keep your fur so soft? I think I've tried everything" Cheetara said next to her smiling.

"Buckthorn oil. You should see if you can get some" Kalihara told her.

"Buckthorn? Doesn't that grow on the coasts and near deserts?" Cheetara asked.

"Yup. Hopefully someone here on this planet has figured out how to make the cosmetic product from the oil" Kalihara said.

"Wonder if the dogs have it in their market" Cheetara commented with a finger to her chin as she held both jerry cans with one hand curled around the handles.

"If they don't, it could be a problem. I can't grow one of them in the hydro farm, as it's too big, and I don't have the tools to get the oil out either" Kalihara told her. Both women chatted together as they seemed to get along, though Kalihara did seem to respond more to questions that Cheetara asked. As he watched them talk, he saw Kalihara smile at Cheetara. She looked almost angelic to him at that point.

"That's… not any lake I've ever seen…" Tygra said as he stopped. Everyone else came up behind him. What they saw shocked them. The water looked dark from above during the night, but now that they got to see it in the morning, it was of similar color. A dark sludge green and parts of it seemed to be bubbling.

"Oh the smell…" Kit said as she put her fingers to her nose to close both nostrils.

"What happened here?" Lion-o asked.

"Pollution is what happened here it looks" Kalihara remarked as she stepped forward and put her hand out towards the water.

"Kalihara! Don't! It could hurt you!" Lion-o yelped out as he shot his hand out towards her. She looked over at him as her armored glove engaged and folded out around her hand.

"I'm not touching it, I'm testing the chemical properties" she reassured him over her shoulder as a small tube popped out. She pushed it towards the dirt, not the water, as a small gel like substance pushed out. A small almost unnoticeable mist poured from near the sides of the tube and dropped on the clear gel. Lion-o was in awe as the gel seemed to seep into the ground for a minute, and then come back up with… materials. Iron, copper, whatever was needed for the blueprint, it was brought to the top and used. As the trace materials were formed into large enough sizes to be seen, the gel was pushed aside bit by bit until it became a small puddle again on the ground. The mist flowed back into the tube, and finally Kalihara pushed it on top of the gel again. The tube vacuumed it up, as well as filtered out any dirt still stuck. What lay on the ground was some sort of testing strip.

"What was that?" Kat asked.

"It's my Delta Gauntlet. It carries a pack of nanites on standby as well as base gelled materials to make more of them for larger jobs. They dig into the ground or surroundings that aren't attached to a sentient being and pull out trace elements needed for a blueprinted job in their data base. Each nanite only brings a trace piece of material, but when you have millions of them working in concert, they can make almost anything as long as there is a blueprint stored in the Omni-tool. I also carry a gel pack of liquefied ultra-high density cross-linked polyethylene just in case I need to flash forge something with the Nano-fabricator onto the gauntlet. I could make a hastily built barricade or small bunker if I wanted to, it just would take a short while for the bunker to finish with the materials pulled from the surroundings" she told him. They all blinked, not knowing at all what she had just said. She could almost hear crickets in the background.

"It took materials out of the ground and made this to test the water" she sighed out as she picked up the strip and shoved it into the sludge.

"That stuff looks dangerous…" Cheetara commented.

"It is…" Kalihara whispered as she pulled out the strip. Half of it was a light green, and should have changed to a light blue if it was fine. The bottom layer that she had pushed in had changed to a dark orange. It was extremely dangerous.

"The river is definitely not connected to this lake. There must be an underground path leading from another area for them to not converge, I'm just wondering how this lake isn't seeping its material into it" Kalihara tried to explain as she typed at her gauntlet.

"So, the fish, might have been contaminated?" Kit asked worriedly.

"No, there's no show of the chemical composition from the lake in the fish… I wonder…" she explained, as a thought crossed her mind. She pushed her gauntlet to the ground and a small cylinder extended. At the bottom was what looked to be a camera, but it didn't take any pictures. Everyone barely heard a very light high pitched chirp as the cylinder pulled back in and Kalihara went back to typing on it.

"What did that do?" Lion-o asked.

"Sonar, like an ultrasound to the ground. It gives me underground topography and tells me if there are any changes to how the river moves. It also tells me how deep the lake goes" she responded.

"A soldier that knows things an alchemist should" Tygra said, clearly impressed.

"Well, when you're out in the field, you got to know what to drink and what not to drink. It helps if you can test it first, hence the features on my gauntlet. I don't have a full R&D chemical lab installed in this thing, so I can really only tell you that the stuff in there isn't good for the skin, or any other part of you. The worse news? This is man-made" she told them quietly.

"So someone actually made this? Who would do such a thing?" Cheetara asked, concerned.

"I wouldn't know Cheetara; I don't live here" Kalihara answered.

"Could be Mumm-ra…" Lion-o growled out.

"You never know. Pollution can come from many sources Lion-o. It might not be magical in nature. It could have been intentionally made…" Kalihara told him. Just then, her gauntlet beeped. She looked down at it and typed some keys.

"What's it doing?" he asked, frustrated that the toxic waste was there. Animals could be getting hurt if they were nearby, and plant life could be obliterated or deformed. The entire ecosystem could be destroyed. Whoever did this needed to pay in his mind.

"It just gave me a full map layout underground. There's a layer of lead and iron keeping the lake contained… and the river circles left around it and continues underground… there are… there's a heck of a lot of tunnels Lion-o… I mean a lot…" she warned, with a look of seriousness in her eyes and she glanced up at him.

"One of them could lead to who did this" Lion-o said as he stomped forward.

"Hang on, there's a cave entrance… heck, multiple cave entrances to the west. Take your pick" she finished as they headed towards the caves.

"Can that thing make a ship?" Lion-o asked Kalihara as they walked around the toxic lake.

"It doesn't have many vehicles as blueprints. The data base is only so large. It has multiple items that can be of use to me in the field. A ship wouldn't be one of them considering I've never flown one or trained to do anything with one. I'm a ground pounder. That space would be better used for building a ground vehicle, or a defensive building, or a weapon. Mostly survival supplies as you'd be surprised what is more useful than a rifle. Anything extremely complex and large is out of the question. I couldn't, for instance, make a Thunder Tank, but I could make a smaller Light Tactical Reconnaissance Vehicle. It wouldn't stand up to a tank, but you can escape and live to fight another day… preferably with air support" she explained. He guffawed as she gave a small smile. He could have sworn she was warming up to him, but he wouldn't know unless he told her how he felt soon.

"Here they are" she said as they looked at them. Lion-o was expecting large cave entrances. What he found were things the size of them, or smaller.

"Panthro might have to crouch to get in here" Tygra commented.

"Who the heck makes a tunnel you can barely fit in?" Panthro grumbled out.

"People who are of small stature…" Lion-o said mostly to himself as he looked around. It was dark, but Kalihara turned on a flashlight attached to her vest, one she was carrying, and another that was attached to her shoulder. The light on her shoulder moved where her head looked. She unclipped the vest one and the shoulder attachment and handed each to Lion-o and Tygra. The carried one she handed to Cheetara.

"What about you and Panthro?" Lion-o asked.

"My goggles have multiple enhanced visual modes, with graviton night vision, magnetic imaging, infrared, backscatter and radiation inversion… the list goes on. Much better than our eyes considering there will be no light at all deeper in if there are any turns" she replied as she flipped her goggles down over her eyes. The Thunder Cats would have difficulty with their natural sense of seeing in the dark if they ventured too deep with no light at all. Even during the night outside, there are always stars or the moon to provide barely enough light for their eyes to track anything. Below the ground was different for them. The Tapetum Lucidum layer in their eyes wouldn't help in pitch darkness.

"Fine, don't give one to the guy who can hit his head on some low stalactite!" Panthro grumbled.

"Didn't you bring anything to light the way?" Kat asked as they opened their endless bag and pulled out two lanterns.

"Uh… you got a third one in there?" Panthro asked. They dug in and grabbed one, and he thanked them appreciatively. As he lit the lamp and turned around, he smacked his head against a low hanging rock.

"Argh!" he grunted in pain as he held his head.

"Really low stature people" Lion-o commented again.

"I don't think that's the cause of the small tunnels" Kalihara replied to his comment as she looked around.

"How so?" the young king asked as he walked up beside her as she looked around.

"If you can dig multiple tunnels and create a network underground, wouldn't you be able to make larger tunnels for moving supplies and even vehicles? I detected some further below. No, I think they made these for defensive purposes. Think about it, they left rocks hanging low enough to hit Panthro in the head. This is roughly made intentionally to slow down and hamper hostile attacks. This is a chokepoint, and a good one at that. There aren't any guards though… odd" she explained. Lion-o's eyes opened wide in surprise for a moment as the information settled in. The Thunder Cats continued walking down the tunnel as Kalihara kept point. She pulled her rifle out and looked down the scope as they came to a multi-path intersection.

"Which way?" Lion-o asked.

"I don't know. My gauntlet is updating as we move from the readings. It isn't a very large map underground" Kalihara said quietly.

"Doesn't have a decent range?" he asked.

"Not underground it doesn't. Above I can get GPS coordinates, full topographical pictures from orbitals clear across the world. I'm running almost blind here with no way to know if we're walking into a trap" she told him. As if on cue, she engaged her mask and pulled up her hood.

"Orbitals?" Lion-o asked.

"I launched an MSR earlier to triangulate our location. Useful to have around when you need to communicate or spy. They're disposable and easy to replicate with the blueprints in my gauntlet. They aren't very stealthy however, and don't maneuver well" she told him as she kept moving.

"Expecting trouble?" Tygra asked in a serious tone. He didn't doubt her combat skills anymore.

"Never too careful in unknown terrain" she whispered as she got into a crouch. The others mimicked and followed as she went down one path towards the left and had it curve down multiple kinks, finally opening out onto a spiraling path heading down and up. At the bottom was a large pool of water, and it was clean from what she could see.

"I've got movement" she whispered as they all stopped and looked around. She had swapped to infrared.

"Multiple contacts… Moles" she whispered.

"Moles?" Lion-o asked.

"It makes sense" Cheetara whispered from the back. Kalihara watched with interest. The moles moving around far below were wearing brown khaki pants and brown khaki shirts. They looked almost military, but old military. Both were carrying very old looking slug rifles in their large claws.

"Look down there" Kalihara pointed. Lion-o looked at where she was pointing, and saw multiple metal doors with what looked like gears attached to them.

"I'd say industrial tech… coal, steam… oil maybe" she whispered.

"You studying them?" Tygra asked.

"It never hurts to know what you should expect Tygra. Live and learn, always expect the unexpected. If this is what their tech is based on, then you can expect rifles, explosives, armor and vehicles. Considering they can make the lake above and what they are, I'd be careful about watching our backs" she growled out as she looked at him with her mask and goggles on.

"We gotta expand further for the remainder of the clean water. Can't let anymore get contaminated" Kalihara heard from below.

"Danged lizards… think they can smoke us out… we'll show em" another mole said coming up from behind the first two, wearing coveralls and a mining helmet.

"Alright, get to work. We'll watch from here" one of the soldiers said. The mining mole agreed, and walked to the wall. Lion-o was expecting him to pull out a drill of some sort, but all he did was start scraping his large claws against the wall quickly, boring through the dirt with speed.

"Efficient little guys" Tygra whispered.

"They must use mining equipment on harder surfaces… they mentioned lizards" Kalihara said.

"Yeah… which means Slithe…" Lion-o grumbled out.

"We need to figure out what the problem is, and if we can stop them. Whatever they're trying to do, it's making the moles put toxic waste above. This can't keep happening" Tygra said from behind.

"We should check out the side passages. This spot is guarded, and they'll see us if we head down" Lion-o whispered as he turned around. As they headed back down the path to the intersection, he turned around to see Kalihara wasn't with them.

"Kalihara?" he whispered into the darkness. No response.

"Oh no…" he whispered as he put his hand on Cheetara's shoulder.

"Kalihara is gone" he told her.

"She probably went off on her own to explore. Always thinks her plan is the best" Tygra said further up.

"That would be you Tygra, not her. Why would she just disappear like that?" Lion-o growled out.

"I don't know. She'll come back eventually once she realizes she can't do anything down there" Tygra continued.

"Whatever Tygra…"

"Hold it!" a loud voice snapped at them. Two moles dropped from a tunnel from above behind and in front of them. A secret tunnel opened up from the side with two more moles aiming up at Cheetara and Tygra with their rifles.

"This is not good…" Kat said as a bayonet was poking towards him.

"Whiskers…" Lion-o muttered out.

**[Twenty minutes later]**

The moles took the Thunder Cats back down the passage and down the spiraling path, with two guards and mining moles watching them. The moles didn't say a word as they were escorted in manacles down one path, and then another as they lost track of which tunnel they were in. Kalihara was still nowhere to be seen. Lion-o only hoped she had escaped being caught as they did. They entered a smaller tunnel that Panthro had some difficulty getting through, with small rocks bonking him on the head as the moles continued poking and prodding him forward. They finally exited into a huge area with paths heading into more tunnels with electric lanterns attached everywhere.

"Whoa…" Kat said as they saw gears rotating and moving pistons. Steam came out of some small holes on one unknown machine as it did something far deeper out of sight in the floor. There were rails everywhere for carts to move about, with rotating carriages acting as elevators in both directions on the walls.

"Keep moving!" one of the guards pushed at Lion-o's legs as they walked forward. There were far more miner moles and other workers moving about staring at them, as well as other soldiers and even some civilians it seemed. They were all hard at work or moving about, with one mole in a dress pushing a baby carriage. They headed down another tunnel and stopped at an expanding funnel area with two large doors. The doors opened with the hiss of hydraulics, no need for manual labor seen. The area became much brighter, with even more lamps appearing and a long red carpet. The area seemed more luxurious now, with gold adorning everything.

"Uh oh…" Kit whispered. They stopped in front of a throne and were pushed onto their knees. A mole in a king's robe sat on the throne in front of them.

"My king! Your majesty, we have found these intruders in our tunnels!" one of the soldiers reported as he snapped to attention, his boots clicking and his hand shot to his head in a salute. The mole king stood up and walked towards them.

"These are Thunder Cats… what are you doing traveling through our passageways? Are you working with the lizards to destroy us? Answer me!" he snapped as he looked at Tygra.

"We aren't working with the lizards, we came down here to find out why there was a toxic lake up above" Lion-o said.

"Toxic lake? The waste dump?" the mole king asked.

"That's what you call that? It's hurting the environment above" he replied.

"It most certainly is not! We took every precaution to make sure it was stable and sitting in one place! The toxicity of the materials will dissipate in four years! Not that it matters considering that is our waste disposal area" the mole king responded.

"You would harm the surrounding animals that would try and drink from it?" Cheetara asked.

"Most animals will not go near it for they already know from instinct that it is dangerous from the smell it produces. The river is clean and capable of supporting life. If we didn't put every effort to make sure that stuff didn't seep into the ground, then our lives would be at risk!" he snapped. Kalihara was right. There was an iron and lead layering to stop the waste from getting into the surrounding land.

"They are still trespassing sir!" the soldier reported.

"Yes, that is correct… usually when someone trespasses in someone else's home, the owners have a right to defend themselves as our laws dictate!" the mole king yelled out.

"We aren't your enemies! Look, didn't we explain we don't work with the lizards? What is it with them anyways? What are they doing to your people? We saw your people digging to keep clean water in another section of your… err… city" Lion-o asked.

"A likely story. Mumm-ra has been trying to get any information on our plans and I wouldn't put it by him that he sent in some remaining Thunder Cats to scope out the situation! To the dungeons!" the mole king yelled. A small click was heard as he suddenly froze.

"Wait!" he spoke quickly as something pressed against the back of his head. Three guards aimed behind him as Kalihara de-cloaked, her rifle to the back of his head with her sidearm aimed at another guard.

"You're outnumbered! Throw down your weapons!" one soldier yelled.

"Am I?" she asked as her drone floated nearby, aiming a miniature grenade launcher. Attached to the wall was a portable turret. Crawling down from the wall itself was what looked to be a spider bot with a machine gun. All of them aimed at the moles.

"Release them. They aren't your enemy. Or, you could make them your enemy and I could take you all out before you can even pull the triggers of those archaic weapons. I doubt the bullets would puncture my armor, and we'd escape regardless. Your choice" she said nonchalantly. The mole king stood there with his mouth open, sweat building on his brow.

"Alright! Alright don't get too hasty! You win! Remove the manacles!" he ordered. The guards looked at him and back at Kalihara, who was definitely not hesitant about taking them all out. They lowered their weapons and walked to the other cats, who they removed their restraints. Lion-o stood up and rubbed his wrists as he looked at Kalihara.

"Now, despite us getting off to a rough start, we aren't hostile, but we can be if you push us anymore. We simply are here gathering intel on the lake and who built it. You don't believe us? Why else would we start going through dark passages after finding that?" she asked.

"You could be trying to find our weak points!" the king yelled.

"In tunnels that may very well have been flooded with more of that toxic waste? Doubtful. Any normal group would have left long ago. We are anything but normal" she said, still keeping her rifle to the back of his skull.

"Isn't that the truth" Panthro grumbled out under his breath.

"What do you want?" the mole king asked.

"Clean water. We were running low and that's all we were looking for to begin with. That lake is clearly not viable, and the river has too many particulates" she told him.

"Ah, so you need distilled water! For machinery?" he asked.

"Correct" she replied with no emotion under her mask.

"Well, we most certainly can't give up our most precious resource for free! It would have to be earned!" the mole king said.

"How about we provide a good will offer and talk without weaponry? Your guards go back to their stations, and I lower my rifle and not blow your head off" she suggested.

"That… sounds like a reasonable suggestion… guards…" the mole king said. The guards slowly walked away. Kalihara lowered her rifle and he turned around. She stopped crouching and stood at her full height, her mask and goggles still on her face while her hood was still pulled over. The portable turret popped off the wall and dropped two feet from her as she caught it mid drop, and the drone floated down for her to catch as well. The spider bot crawled over to her and folded up, and she shoved it into her pack along with the portable turret. He was shocked with fright as he backed away a few inches, and then slowly calmed down. Her mask retracted and she pulled up her goggles, letting her hood fall back.

"A female Thunder Cat? Oh I'm never gonna live this down from my generals…" the mole king moaned out.

"Alright, how do we earn the clean water?" Lion-o asked.

"Ah, you must work for it! Everyone works here for what they have. Everything that they need is provided for them by the mole government, but their duties are to us. We have a labor trade system" the mole king started explaining as they walked out of the throne room and down a hallway.

"No currency? Wow" Tygra said as he looked around.

"We aren't like you surfacers. We aren't lazy, and money is materials that can be better spent on equipment or weapons" the mole king hmphed and jumped down some steps that the Thunder Cats walked down.

"Lazy?" Tygra growled out.

"To them we're inefficient, and I could understand. No machinery providing heavy labor, no long distance transportation, no projectile weapons beyond bows and arrows… well, for everyone else I guess" Kalihara commented.

"Yes! That's exactly it! Ah, you must not be like the others I'm guessing because of your equipment?" the mole king asked.

"I'm… not from around here, yes" she answered.

"Then you understand how slow moving other surfacers are! We struggle day and night to keep our people well taken care of! Hard workers are provided everything, and in exchange they are happy workers, which are more productive! It's a never ending circle that has served us well!"

"While that might be true for some areas, others aren't the same" Kalihara tried to explain, looking to Lion-o for help. She didn't have nearly enough information about the world to start talking about it.

"She's right. We have all made strides in our civilizations. You just have to look at the smaller details to notice the improvements" he said, trying to come to her aide.

"Well, those small improvements didn't save your civilization! I mean just look at Thundera! It's a pile of rubble! We've held the walls against similar armies from the lizards, and they have not once breached our lines!" he said with pride as he brought his fist to his chest, his nose in the air. Kalihara and Lion-o both looked aggravated at the mention of Thundera, both the land and the planet.

"Why does this sound like a repeat of Avista?" Tygra asked.

"Those bird brains build everything for convenience! Those fragile pieces of junk wouldn't hold up to long term use! They've had everything handed to them on a silver platter! We could have shot them out of the sky if we wanted to, while they couldn't have done a thing to us! Although, come to think of it, we did notice their city isn't up in the sky anymore… don't look at us! We didn't do it! Though we have the capability…" the mole king said.

"Yeah, we were there. Mumm-ra took the tech stone, and with it, the city mostly doesn't work" Panthro told him.

"Ah, relying on a stone to keep their city working. Our equipment and buildings are built to last, regardless of power!" he said as he swept his arms across a vast area of underground. Sitting in the middle was a giant fortress… no… they were IN the fortress. The whole city was one massive bunker, with the large citadel in front of them simply being for other uses. Military forces were everywhere, each wearing khaki clothes and old battle armor. Each carried a semi-auto rifle that was magazine fed. They all reminded Kalihara of what she was able to read about human history, or what she had read only one mention of "World War II", whatever that referred to.

"I have to admit, the area is structurally sound. You have backup power? Generators and emergency batteries?" Kalihara asked.

"Generators and batteries? Hmmm, we're working on the tech for that, but it's not quite finished yet. You have them more than likely. No, we use steam compressors and coal burners to spin motors. These produce the electricity we use throughout the city. If one goes down, there is another nearby. Each coal burner is automatically filled with our machinery, so little need for labor to be wasted on transporting fuel" he explained as they walked towards what they thought was a marketplace. Other moles simply grabbed what they needed without paying, and walked away. Kat and Kit both grabbed a small bowl of fruit, with no ill consequences.

"I could get used to this place" Kit said, and Kat agreed. They both dug into the fruit as they continued on behind the adults.

"No wonder you have such a strong military presence in certain locations. I'm guessing key components?" Lion-o asked.

"Wrong. Again, chokepoints. You don't need to protect vital systems if the enemy can't even breach into the section of tunnels to find it. They can hold more area with less people, providing more hands to do other things, or scout out the surface to gather intel on us" Kalihara explained.

"Someone knows what they're talking about! You aren't so bad after all" the mole king exclaimed enthusiastically as he looked up at her.

"I've done my share of holding the line" she told him.

"Ah, than we are kindred spirits! Maybe we'll get along after all. Now, onto the matter at hand. You need water. There are many jobs that could use someone of higher stature than us at the moment, and the equipment to do those jobs by ourselves is scarce or being repaired. You just happen to come about at that time. Also, about the lizards…" he trailed off.

"Harassing your troops?" Kalihara asked.

"Yes! You see, with our tunnel network, we can make our way to almost any area with one thousand square miles and-" the small mole king started to say, but every Thunder Cat was in shock.

"ONE THOUSAND SQUARE MILES?" they all said in unison.

"Most of it is unsettled area. We expand ahead of time to make sure we have ample resources and contingents for any problems in the future. We moles think far in the future so the present is safe for our people" he explained.

"That's… really impressive…" Kalihara said as she looked at Lion-o and blinked.

"Yes, we are proud of that accomplishment. Now, the lizards. They've been trying to take control of our tunnel network for the past few months. So far, they've been stone walled, he he… stone walled… hehehe… eh… I crack myself up sometimes… anyways, they've been trying to get ahold of them, and we've pushed them back. They've thought of starving us out, but then they realized we grow all our own food! They've tried burying us, but then they realized what we are! Ha-ha!" the mole king laughed. The lizards didn't sound very bright to try any normal tactics at sieging the city.

"So what are they doing now?" Lion-o asked.

"Well, right now we have a rather large wellspring that is uncontained near hostile territory! That's, well, just below the surface with an as yet undiscovered camp for your information… anyways, they've tried poisoning it, to have the run off seep into the ground and damage our water supply. We've transferred already a large amount of clean water to other areas, but we need to make sure that the seepage is minimal or it could damage our capability to expand in that direction, as well as harm many a mole. If that happens, then they can move the contaminated water to other areas and cut us off, as well as harm our population significantly. Soldiers won't be able to fight if they're seriously ill or dying. I think they've found our weakness now" he explained worriedly.

"We'll do everything we can" Lion-o acknowledged.

"Excellent! That's the spirit! Well, I've got my own responsibilities to perform. I should get back to the throne room. Here, this is a list of the people who could use assistance in their job field. Do what you can, and remember! Hard work earns your place in our society! That will get you what you need!" he said. The mole king waddled back up the stairs and walked back through the tunnel they came from.

"Have you ever heard of a one thousand square mile tunnel network?" Lion-o asked Kalihara.

"If I did, I'd have used one back on Thundera when Mumm-ra first struck" she responded.

"Well, I guess we should start on the list… wait, couldn't we just go stop the lizards from contaminating the wellspring?" he said.

"Do you know where the wellspring is or their camp? I sure don't" she replied.

"Good point" Lion-o sighed out.

"Whelp, have fun with that" Kit said as the cubs shot off into the market.

"Where are you two going?" Tygra asked.

"We're cubs! Manual labor isn't allowed!" Kit said as she pointed at a sign. It had certain labor laws posted, one of which stated no younglings working in this area, and that there were regular enforcers that inspected the location.

"Keep out of trouble" Cheetara warned.

"We promise!" Kat grinned as they both went on their merry way to explore.

"I hope they don't get lost…" the blonde sighed out.

"They won't" Kalihara said with a grin. Her gauntlet was beeping and showed two little lights running through the network she had so far mapped.

"You can track them?" Lion-o asked.

"I put it just in the fabric of the bag they have" she replied.

"Nice move" Panthro commented.

"Install structural supports in tunnels 4C, 4A, 16C, 16A, 33B, etc. etc… see Digus…" Lion-o read out.

"That would be my specialty" Panthro grinned from ear to ear as he headed off towards the location the piece of paper said, asking moles along the way where it was.

"Ok… assist political officials in transfer to new living quarters away from wellspring… make sure it is smooth and accommodating… see Tigo…" the young king read out loud.

"I think I can make sure that goes according to plan" Tygra said as he walked off.

"I'll go with you" Cheetara said as she followed.

"Huh, well, there are a lot of them on the list, so I guess they'd need two… um… move clean water from wellspring to well dump 12A… see Weemo… last on the list…" Lion-o sighed. He got manual labor. Hopefully they'd give him equipment to make it easier. At least he'd know exactly where the wellspring was so that they could stop any lizards if they came nearby.

"Want to help with that?" he asked, but Kalihara was already walking away.

"Hey, Kalihara? That's the only thing left on this list" he said.

"Hey! Hey you!" Kalihara waved at two mole soldiers. They both walked over.

"Yes?" one of them asked.

"Whose you're superior? I need to get in touch with him to offer patrol assistance near the wellspring. I need to assess your security measures and provide tactical advice involving lizard technology" she said.

"Ah, a tactical advisor. Yes, General Fubar is just down that tunnel" the soldier said. Kalihara stifled a laugh as she thanked them and walked towards the tunnel.

"My skills are needed elsewhere" she told him as she walked off briskly. He sighed as he felt like he was getting the short end of the stick. He walked off to a mole and asked where Weemo was stationed. The mole looked up at him with his mining helmet.

"Ah! One of the surfacers eh? Heard about your kind being allowed down here under supervision" he said as he cocked his helmet back a bit.

"Supervision? Uh, whatever, yeah, ok. Which way to him?" Lion-o asked.

"I'm heading that way myself. Got to open up two more tunnels. Here, follow me" he said as he scampered down a tunnel. Lion-o sighed again as he followed, and as he exited out, was surprised to see a motor pool. The miner got inside what looked like a multi-wheeled ball with two seats in the middle.

"Name is Boag by the way" he said as he offered his clawed hand.

"Lion-o" the young king said as he shook his claws.

"Nice to meet a surfacer who's willing to put his back into some work. Let's head over there" he smiled as Lion-o sat down. Oddly enough, he was able to fit in the vehicle. The thing suddenly shot off down the tunnel quickly as Boag drove it through a twisting tunnel with no need to steer. They reached an intersection and one of the wheels started to spin, knocking them down another path easily like it was on a track.

"We're here" Boag said excitedly as he got out and waddled to another mole.

"You the cub they sent down here to help with the water removal?" Weemo asked.

"Cub? Wha… uh, yes" he sighed. He didn't want to damage their chances of getting the clean water.

"Only one of you?" he asked as he looked behind him.

"The others are helping with… other assignments" he replied.

"Fine then. Grab that helmet over there" Weemo commanded. Lion-o picked up the helmet and put it on.

"Got to watch your head at all times. Now, grab that hose" the mole ordered. Lion-o picked it up, a bit confused.

"Bring it over here" Weemo ordered as he got to a small cut out spot in the floor. As Lion-o looked down the hole, he realized he was standing just over the wellspring. They had cut out a room right above it for ease of movement, as well as transfer of water.

"Lower it into the water and connect it to the transfer station" Weemo told him. He did as he was told, screwing one end of the hose into the station and lowering the other side in.

"Now, your job is to open the valve for this hose. You will count for one minute, and then turn it off. You will then open another valve to transfer it to a filtration station. Once it is there and cleaned even further, you will then open the valve again to let more water through after you have transferred that on to a waiting transport. Do you understand?" Weemo asked.

"Yeah, but, how do I open the valve?" he asked.

"Pull that lever" Weemo said as he pointed at a green lever.

"Pull the purple lever for the filtration station. Once you pull the blue lever, the water will transfer. There is a timer for each transfer that will ring, so it will tell you when to pull" Weemo explained.

"That's it? This is the labor?" he asked.

"It's a difficult job, but I'm sure you can handle it" Weemo said with a smile.

"I thought I was gonna move buckets of water" Lion-o said as he was pleasantly surprised.

"Please! All of that is automated! What, you expect us to drop a bucket into the water held by a rope? How barbaric" Weemo scoffed. Lion-o got to work quickly as he pulled. Water flowed to the transfer station and the timer sounded after one minute. He pulled the other levers at the right moments, and soon there was a full transport heading away. Another came up behind it. It was a never ending line of transports moving water from one area of the city to another. He wondered if there was a way to clean up the surrounding soil and water. Maybe Kalihara could figure something out, though she did say she wasn't trained in that field. She just knew what was clean enough to drink and what not to touch.

Just then, he heard someone call his name.

"Lion-o!" Cheetara yelled out and he turned his head. She was waving from her seat on a cycle ball. Behind her was a package of jerry cans that were being filled.

"I thought you were with Tygra helping the political officials?" he asked grinning.

"I am. They're touring the area while Tygra acts as bodyguard. I'm here to drive them back and bring water to their new homes" she said as she pointed to the train of connected cycle balls.

"Is it as easy as my job?" he asked chuckling.

"I get to drive a fast moving train. Yes it is" she beamed. Tygra walked out of an adjacent tunnel with multiple moles in front of him talking amongst themselves. One pointed towards him and nodded while another pointed at the pumps. They chattered quickly as they all agreed it was efficient. Weemo came over with a canteen and handed it to Lion-o.

"What's this?" he asked.

"Distilled water with certain useful minerals in it. Got to keep hydrated, even in here" he said as he walked back to his post monitoring water dials and pulling levers for the Watergates.

"So, this is the wellspring below us?" the young king asked.

"What? No! It's a pumping gateway. The wellspring is too large and too deep for us to control at the moment, so we make multiple water gates to fill rooms like this. Then we close off the openings and drain the water to other areas. The wellspring itself seems to be regenerating itself somehow, and we need to keep it protected which is difficult to do. While our stockpiles are large, eventually it would run out if it was ever damaged or destroyed. Those lizards need to be stopped, we just don't know where their camp is to stop the flow of poisons their trying to pour in. They could be anywhere, and still be doing harm to the water" the old mole told him.

"Maybe they're taking the toxic waste from up above and putting it down here and leaving right after?" Lion-o suggested.

"Couldn't be. We have filter systems near all entrances to track for those chemical compounds. They're using some other form of toxin that we can't block enough of. Eventually… we may need to cut our ties with the wellspring unless we can find a way to purify it better" he said in a concerned tone.

A new tunnel suddenly opened up to the west, with Panthro climbing out with Boag. They looked around and waved at Lion-o.

"I thought you were putting in structural supports?" the lion king asked.

"We are. We're making backup tunnels in the event anything collapses on us while we're doing it, to have an escape route. Most of the manual labor is-" Panthro started to say.

"Automated?" Lion-o asked.

"Exactly. We'll have our water by tomorrow from the way things are going" the General chuckled out. They got back through the tunnel they had now made and disappeared. He hadn't heard from Kit and Kat for a bit, so he assumed they hadn't caused any trouble.

Kalihara walked by in the distance with a mole soldier and a mole wearing a uniform. She was talking as she went.

"You should place portcullises down the critical chokepoints and have demolition teams on standby at major junctions. If you are ever unable to contain a situation, you could seal off that area as well as be able to pump in water at airlocks to drown the enemy" she told him.

"We'll have those in immediately ma'am. Thank you for the advice. Appreciate the feedback" General Fubar said in a gruff voice.

"You're welcome" she replied as two soldiers came up.

"Sir, 3rd Special Battalion just transferred. The recruits are now stationed at their assigned posts" one said.

"Recruits? Oh… that close to the wellspring? We need experienced soldiers on that side… but 9th Battalion isn't available with them scouting out the empty tunnels…" Fubar groaned.

"I might be able to assist" Kalihara suggested.

"That'd be great. A seasoned soldier is just what they need to lead them! Go with my authorization to lead them in containing the area" the mole general said cheerily.

"Yes sir" she replied as the moles walked away talking about implementing her suggestions as she headed towards the tunnel that led to 3rd Battalion.

"Hey Kalihara" Lion-o said. She nodded to him as she shifted her backpack a bit.

"It seems everyone is content with their job" he said as she stopped.

"Everything is automated, so no physical stress. Considering how small the moles are, they had to figure out ways to make certain tasks doable. While they're not as advanced as the Avians, their technology is far more rugged. I wouldn't be surprised if the Avians could learn a thing or two from them. They're incredibly industrious as well. They can build entire forward operations bases anywhere underground in twenty four hours from scratch. Tell me that isn't awe inspiring with their logistics" she answered. Lion-o whistled.

"I have to admit, I'm actually fine with flipping levers right now. I thought I'd be-" he started telling her.

"Dredging a bucket through water and carrying it off? Can you see a mole doing that with those claws?" she asked him.

"Heh, I guess you're right" he replied with a smile. Kalihara seemed at home with the soldiers, and they saluted her when she went by. She held their respect already. She had an aura of a seasoned warrior around her.

"I have to get to my post. I'll be back once we have a better tactical hold against the lizards" she told him.

"Wait! Shouldn't… shouldn't I come as well? I mean, shouldn't we all go?" he asked. He wasn't going to be knocked out this time by booby trapped explosives. He was going to show her he wasn't laying down on the job to fight against Mumm-ra.

"We aren't going to engage the lizards unless they engage us. Considering the defenses they have there, and being underground, it would be foolish for the lizards to attempt to take that section unless they came up with a significant advantage. If they did somehow find that advantage, then it would be easy to radio for support, collapse the tunnels to contain the situation, or other available backup plans. There's no need to concern yourself with it. Finish the jobs you are all performing and we'll get the water. Then we're free to investigate where the camp is hidden and try and stop them from invading the mole city" Kalihara explained. Lion-o was concerned for her safety, but he had already seen what she could do. If anything happened, she could become invisible and sneak through the enemy positions to return to the others easily. She was a ghost in the shadows, and a nightmare when she wanted to be to the lizards in a firefight. It was very easy for the lioness to alternate between the two. It was as normal as breathing.

"Alright, well, good luck" he said as he gave her a thumbs up. She nodded and continued to a cycle ball. A mole soldier sat next to her and engaged the engine, and the ball shot down a tunnel and disappeared. He sighed. He still hadn't figured out how to tell her he was interested, and now wasn't the time. He wasn't going to misinterpret any signals she sent like Cheetara, and he somehow knew she hated Mumm-ra with a passion.

**[Meanwhile]**

"Are you sure we aren't lost?" Kat asked as they looked down the tunnels in all directions.

"Well the map was accurate, so we should be right here" Kit said as she pulled out the map they had gotten from an architect mole. She flipped the paper around in her hands as she looked at each direction the spokes would take them.

"Wait, this is floor 3…" Kat said as he pointed to the corner. Kit was worried now as they turned the page and looked up at a marking on the wall that said "Floor 19."

"Oh no…" Kit whispered as they turned to page nineteen. Most of the tunnels weren't finished yet, and in writing was stated "to be improved at a later date. No population, no storage."

"Oh great… how did we get here?" Kat asked as he tried to peer down the tunnels in any direction.

"I hope we can find our way out of here… one thousand miles of tunnels… we could die down here without anyone finding us…" Kit squeaked.

"Hey… do you hear that?" Kat asked. Kit nodded and they both headed down a tunnel towards the very faint sound of rushing water. They continued a small distance and turned right with their lanterns, trying to find the source.

"Hey, we just went past where the sound was strongest" Kit said as they nodded and pressed their ears to the wall. The sound got louder.

"Is it the wellspring?" Kat asked.

"I don't know. It could be" Kit answered her brother as they knocked on the wall heading down the passageway. They reached a door leading into an empty room, but the sound was still near.

"Hey, look over there" Kat said as they saw a trap door in the corner. It was well hidden, almost as if someone wanted it to stay that way. They slowly opened it and peeked down. What they saw made them close the door immediately.

"Lizards" they both said in unison as they opened the door up again. A patrol had just passed, and both cubs slipped down through the door and dropped to the tunnel below. As Kit came behind him and closed the door above, they both looked up. The door looked almost invisible against the dirt around it.

"There must be trap doors everywhere to get from area to area quicker" Kat whispered to her.

"Shortcuts to remember so we can get back to the others" Kit responded.

"We should see where those guys are heading."

"Good idea."

Both cubs snuck behind the soldiers as they headed around a corner and down a descending passageway to a long tube of barely reinforced tunnel area. There were torches on either side; the cubs kept their distance until the soldiers stood in front of a dead end… and opened it. Each soldier walked through and closed the door, as the cubs watched where they had touched to get the door to open. The cubs ran down the hallway, pressed the hidden switch and peeked to both sides. Their faces turned to shock as they saw what was happening. To the left was a massive area of water that went for as far as their eyes could see in the dim light. Though their eyes allowed night vision, their visual sense only adjusted to so far out before the water blurred with the cave roof above. To the right, was what the source of the mole's problems. Lizards were everywhere, and the way they came in was from a drilling machine in the distance. Closer to the water was a massive robot that seemed to shoot green steam every once in a while. It had tubes stuck in the water, feeding whatever it was that was in tanks attached to the sides. Nearby was Jackalman.

"So that's why he wasn't at Slithe's camp… he was overseeing this place" Kit whispered.

"If we could tell the others about this, it could help us with the moles" Kat responded.

"But what are they doing? It looks like they're pumping chemicals into the water, but why? All they get is a bunch of empty tunnels to walk through" Kit asked.

"Maybe… look!" Kat exclaimed as he pointed. What they both saw was incredible, as they watched in shock. Crawling out of the water, it seemed, was a glob of more water. It made a form that seemed feminine. It crawled away, making a mournful sound. It was trying to get away from the poison to rest.

"Another one bites the dust! Hehehehe! One more after and this place is a toxic dump!" Jackalman laughed out. The lizards shoved a vacuum against the water elemental, and she backed away in fear. The water was being contaminated, and in front of her were lizards. The vacuum touched her and sucked her down the tube, disappearing into a barrel. The barrel rolled and squealed, as the elemental tried to get out.

"So that's why the water regenerates! There are water elementals in it! Does that mean the moles have been drinking them?" Kat asked.

"I don't think so. It'd be more like them making more water as some sort of… what's the word… byproduct? Just from them living there, they make clean water for the surrounding land. Elementals are attuned to nature I think, and seem to act like filters for the chemicals their dumping" Kit whispered.

"I didn't think they were real, just those fables in the book about El Dara" Kat smiled.

"We didn't think that mountain giant was real either, and yet it attacked Anete didn't it?" Kit asked.

"True… what are we going to do? She needs help" Kat asked.

"Use your grapple to pull the plug" Kit suggested. The young cub pulled out his tool and swung it around and threw, making the end land on the side of the barrel.

"No… hang on, I think I have it…" he whispered. The barrel falling over made a loud noise. Lizards came over to investigate as the grapple pulled on the top of the barrel and popped the lid off enough for the elemental to bust out. She slid across the floor as she looked at the cubs in the distance. Her "face" smiled as she dove back into the water.

"Dang it! It's those cubs! Get them! I want to see how well they can swim with holes in their bodies!" Jackalman laughed out.

"Uh oh, time to go" Kat yelled as they ran away from the cave and down the hallway. Lizards charged after them as they turned a corner and ran through multiple side passages until they lost track of where they were again.

"Whiskers! We're lost again!" Kit growled as she was frustrated there were no signs.

"At least we lost the scale faces… maybe we should try and find a trap door again?" Kat asked.

"We were lucky we saw the first one, but maybe you're right" she replied as they looked into open rooms with no doors yet. Most had nothing, and one had a trap door that led into another room above that had no other exit.

"We're getting nowhere… hey, look at that one" Kit said as she had her hands on her hips.

"It's pretty high" Kat said as he swung his grapple and latched it onto the handle. He pulled at it but it wouldn't open out.

"Ugh… ok, looks like we open it outwards" Kit said as Kat pushed her up from his shoulders, balancing on each other as she opened the door. She climbed in with her hand out for Kat to follow her, and just as she got his hand up, they both heard a click! nearby. Kit looked up to see four mole soldiers aiming their rifles down at them.

"Uh… hi…" Kit said with a jittery voice and an awkward smile.

"WilyKit? WilyKat?" they both heard. Kalihara walked forward and made the moles lower their weapons.

"Kalihara!" they both said in unison as she helped them up.

"What are you doing below us? I saw your tracking signals move around, and I figured you were near the armory six floors above us" she asked.

"We, well… we went exploring and… uh…" Kat tried to explain.

"You got lost… oh you two…" Kalihara grumbled as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Sorry, but we found something!" Kit exclaimed as she pointed down at the trap door.

"You could have never come back up from those tunnels. They stretch for miles remember?" the lioness scolded the two younglings.

"We're sorry" Kit replied as they both had a sad look on their face. The Special Forces Commander sighed and calmed down. Her voice became soft again to the two cubs.

"Alright, what did you find?" she asked.

"We found the wellspring! And the lizards have a camp underground with this big robot! And-" Kit's mouth exploded with everything that they found.

"Whoa, whoa, easy. Lizards below? A whole camp? Wellspring? Ok… robot?" she asked.

"Yes! And the wellspring is actually water elementals! They make clean water and Jackalman was there capturing them! We don't know what they wanted from them, but it could hurt the moles really bad if the elementals leave! If they're gone, then the wellspring will dry up" Kat explained.

"Hmmm… if that happens, then this whole city is in danger…" Kalihara whispered out loud, but more to herself.

"Willo!" she yelled and a young mole soldier ran to her.

"Yes ma'am?" he asked as he stood at attention.

"Get General Fubar on the horn. Let him know the situation. Send a messenger back to the pumping station and let Lion-o know what's going on" she ordered.

"Yes ma'am!" Willo acknowledged and scampered off.

"You're in charge here?" Kat asked.

"I got put in command of 3rd Battalion in this area. They're recruits, but eager to show what they're capable of. Apparently they just finished their own special forces training" she told them with a smile as she surveyed the troops. There were patrols moving in different directions, and all of them were fairly young, though it was difficult to tell given they were a different species.

"So… why are you commanding them?" Kit asked.

"Well the others are finishing the other jobs on the list, and I decided to act as a tactical advisor to the Generals. Since they had no experienced officers to lead here, I volunteered. They respect military, and I figured it would get us the supplies we need quicker" Kalihara answered.

"How many of them are there?" Kat asked as he saw two soldiers waddle quickly across the room.

"One thousand" the lioness said.

"Wow… hey, we could stop the lizards right now!" Kit said enthusiastically.

"I can't" she replied with a downtrodden face.

"Why not?" Kat asked.

"I can't give the order for 3rd Battalion to engage the lizard forces. That would ultimately have to come from the Generals or the King respectively, as I am technically not part of their military and this is a joint operation. That joint operation doesn't include engaging in an assault. It might just boil down to just us Thunder Cats" she told them with a hint of guilt in her eyes.

"When has that stopped us in the past? I bet we could handle them no problem!" the cubs told her.

"Ma'am, Lord of the Thunder Cats on hold for ya" a mole communications specialist said. Kalihara pressed against her jaw guard near her pointed ear.

"Kalihara, are you there?" Lion-o asked.

"I'm here. What's your ETA?" she asked.

"Heading there now. Tygra and Cheetara are behind me, though Panthro is coming in from a different direction. Somehow they looped the tunnel to another section. General Fubar is mustering forces, but it'll take some time before they're ready" he told her.

"Then it's up to us then correct?" she asked.

"Of course. We aren't going to let those elementals suffer any longer. They haven't done anything wrong, and have been helping the moles. We're getting that poison out of there" he growled with a hint of satisfaction in his voice.

"I'll head down and set up shop in a sniper perch and wait for you guys to come busting in" she reported.

"Alright, and Kalihara… be careful" he said in a concerned tone.

"Always am sir" she replied just as she cut coms.

"Sir? I'm-" and the line cut feed.

"Stay here until Lion-o gets in. I'm going to get a bead on the camp and wait for his arrival" Kalihara said softly to the cubs as she put her hands on their shoulders.

"But… ok…" Kit agreed.

"There will be plenty of action after, so be careful and stick with Lion-o alright? I may not be able to cover you" she explained. Kat remembered how the guard from the night before had nearly jumped on her but was shot from the cave by the lioness. Kalihara was the best shot she had ever seen, and made Tygra look like an amateur. Was she serious about not being able to protect them the whole time from the lizards?

"We'll be careful" Kat acknowledged. Kalihara nodded and opened the trap door.

"Ma'am, we'd like to accompany you" Willo said as he walked forward with two other mole soldiers. All of them had their weapons ready and loaded.

"Negative. I can't give that order to you gentlemen. That will have to come from the higher ups. Await further orders. We're gonna save your people, don't worry" she commanded.

"But… yes ma'am. We'll report further orders through coms frequency 20-20" Willo reported. She nodded and ducked through the small door and closed it. The cubs watched her go, and felt a slight twang of worry for her, like she reminded them of their mother and the night they had left their home. Twenty minutes later, Lion-o came up in a cycle ball with a mole sitting in the driver's seat with racing goggles on.

"Where's Kalihara?" Lion-o asked.

"She's already headed down" Kat told him.

"Alright, let's go" Lion-o said as he pulled out his sword and opened the trap door. He jumped down as Tygra was right behind him as was Cheetara.

"Thunder… Thunder!… THUNDER!… THUNDER CATS! HOOOO!" Lion-o yelled out as everyone's eyes glowed. They charged forward down the hallway into the cavern… and found the place empty.

"What the… Kalihara?" Lion-o asked.

"Don't look at me! I got here and found them retreating! I think they got the last water elemental!" she yelled out from across the cavern. She was already at the tunnel heading up. Lion-o looked at the wellspring nearby. It looked almost like the toxic lake above. It could kill thousands if it wasn't cleaned by the peaceful elementals.

"We gotta stop them!" Tygra yelled as the group ran as fast as they could up the tunnel. Cheetara shot by everyone with her super speed and even past Kalihara, bolting straight out the top of the tunnel and finding a convoy of lizards in ground vehicles with barrels attached to them. She ran right next to the first one and heard the moans and squeals of the water elementals held captive inside. The cheetah shot right next to the cab and elongated her staff, smacking it into the driver. The hover vehicle lilted to the side and stopped as she continued on. The turrets on the top started opening up on her as did the soldiers, and the escort vehicles flipped around to intercept her.

"We can't catch up if we don't have a set of wheels… she can't do it on her own…" Lion-o said out loud just as and unknown vehicle rolled up that looked like a drill tank. The hatch popped open on top as Panthro popped his head out.

"Get on top! We can catch up no problem with this baby!" he yelled out. Tygra and Lion-o jumped up and helped the Wilys join. Lion-o offered his hand to Kalihara, but she declined.

"Speed is irrelevant when range is my best friend" she told him and ran towards a rocky outcrop. She dropped to a prone position and placed her rifle on top of an eroded boulder, perfect for her position. The barrel slid out and the rifle powered up. Lion-o had a small smile creep on his face. She'd pick off targets from the town over and provide covering fire.

"Go go go!" Lion-o yelled out as Panthro got back into the tank with two moles helping drive. The turret above chattered away with an old fashioned machine gun, and the main gun fired glancing shots to make sure they didn't hit the elementals.

"Remember, we don't want to hurt the water elementals. Our attacks might not harm them, but being out in the desert will" Lion-o told everyone. Three rounds flew by the tank and struck the hover fans of one more vehicle, knocking it to the ground. Cheetara was running back as more interception vehicles were coming after her. She dodged multiple rounds at her speed and flipped over one, smashing her staff through the open cabin and knocking the driver unconscious. She landed and was nearly run over by another attack vehicle when Panthro slammed through it and went over the next one, continuing on. Cheetara ran next to the tank and was helped up by Tygra.

"Last one!" Lion-o yelled as he fired a red beam from the eye of Thundera. It slammed into the truck, making it slide to a stop.

"Got it!" Panthro said as the tank slowed down. The truck sides fell off as barrels rolled everywhere. The large mech walked out of the vehicle and stood at its full height, staring down at them as poisonous clouds erupted from vents all over.

"Whiskers…" Lion-o whispered as Jackalman came out as well.

"Awwww, you made him angry! Let's see what cat pancakes taste like! Hehehehehe!" he laughed. Panthro and the moles jumped out of the tank as the large arm slammed into the smaller vehicle, crushing it as the Thunder Cats dove for cover.

"Thunder Cats! Go!" Lion-o yelled as they charged. Kat ran next to Cheetara, who realized he was gonna grapple the arm when it came down. She picked him up and charged even faster, with him carried in her arms. He twirled his grapple as the arm came down to strike them, as Cheetara dodged easily the slow motions of the mech. Tygra shot at the arm as it came down, doing no effect to its heavy armor.

"It's immune to pulse shots! It might even be immune to Kalihara's rifle!" Tygra yelled out. He wasn't happy about either if it was true. Two rounds flew from afar, striking the elbow joint and destroying gears.

"Ok, so maybe I was aiming at the wrong spot…" Tygra corrected himself and hoped no one heard the previous comment. She had just pointed him at the weak points with her long distance sniping skills. Kat threw his grapple and it landed on the top of the arm. Cheetara climbed the grapple as she thanked Kat. He stayed below and ran off as the grapple came loose, with Cheetara running up the length of the arm as it went back up. The mech tried to swat her off, but just as his hand came towards her, a round slammed into his neck and one into his right ocular. The mech groaned as it backed up a bit, with vents steaming poisonous gas near Cheetara. She covered her mouth and nose quickly, heading for the head. She felt dizzy but continued on.

"Oh no… Cheetara!" Tygra yelled as he used his whip to latch onto screws on the knees and pull himself upwards. Lion-o struck at the foot of the mech and dislodged a piece of plating, and slammed the length of the sword up to the hilt into the circuits hidden inside. Electricity sparked in all directions as he pulled out and backed away, heading for the other foot. Panthro spun his nunchaku quickly, creating a repeating spin for the moles to throw rocks his way and launch straight towards the mecha's face.

Cheetara reached the head and slammed her staff under the armor of the head, trying to wedge the plating up enough for roots to sink in and start tearing apart internal circuitry. The mech groaned an unearthly groan as it tried to move its arm to pull Cheetara away, but the damage had lowered its movement. Jackalman intercepted Lion-o as he headed for the other foot and immediately started a melee brawl with the young king. They danced around the foot as it moved, as Jackalman used hard strikes as well as the mech as leverage to keep Lion-o back.

"Almost…" Cheetara said as the roots continued pushing in. A vent opened up nearby, spraying Cheetara in the face.

"Agh!" she screamed as she blacked out and fell. Tygra leapt from his climb, catching her in mid-air and falling to the ground. He hit it hard, with the sound of something in his right shoulder cracking as he used his own body as protection for her. He groaned as he felt pain shoot up his arm. The robot was still standing, albeit barely with the damage. It could still flatten anyone if it got the chance.

"Two down, five to go" Jackalman giggled as the lizards piled out of their vehicles and started firing. Rounds flew from the distance and struck many of them, but the rest hid behind the vehicles for cover to keep Kalihara from taking any more out. If they tried to go back and take care of Kalihara, she'd cut them down before they were even halfway with the long range they were already at. She was the only one who was truly safe from retaliation. She chose well.

Kat flung his grapple and caught the leg of a lizard and pulled, slamming him into another lizard and knocking them both down. Kit flipped the helmet of one soldier and jumped on top of another as she rolled, diving through the cabin and leaping out the other side. As the soldiers piled in to take the same shortcut, Kat used his grapple to lock both doors of the small enclosed cabin shut, keeping six soldiers pinned with their legs over each other's shoulders. The rounds flying from Kalihara died away, as the soldiers had decent protection from the remaining vehicles.

"We gotta finish this soon Lion-o! The heat from the desert could cook the elementals in the barrels!" Panthro yelled. Tygra got up and tried to carry Cheetara, but his arm shot so much pain up his shoulder than he couldn't do it. She was unconscious with small black veins creeping up her neck.

"Oh Thundera… Cheetara! Wake up! Please!" he yelled as he tried to shake her and at the same time keep himself alert beyond the pain he felt.

"Surrender!" Jackalman said as the lizards surrounded the group. This time Kalihara couldn't save them at the range she was with the defenses they had as well as the mech. Panthro looked around him as he saw the rifles aimed at him.

"We can't give up… not this time… those moles can't survive without those elementals…" Lion-o growled at him as he held his sword in his hands ready to strike.

"Lion-o" Tygra said quietly. The young king looked over and saw Cheetara limp in his good arm. She was poisoned, and most likely dying. He was shocked. Tygra had a worried look on his face, staring into his brother's eyes. His brother was wounded, and his mate was poisoned.

"Awww, so sad, sick little kitty cat. They just drop like flies these days don't they?" Jackalman laughed. The mech stared down at them with its big arms ready to smash down. It looked bad for them.

"I'd suggest you surrender" Kalihara said as she walked up, though she was a good two hundred feet away.

"And why would you say that? You're outnumbered, you're outgunned" Jackalman asked.

"You think so huh? That's interesting, because from where I stand, you're about to be cut down to size" she grinned, her mask down and her goggles pushed to her forehead. Lion-o was worried now, as she was capable of being shot.

"Kalihara… get away…" he growled out, worried they'd take the chance.

"Hahahaha! You and what army?" Jackalman asked her. Her grin got even bigger.

**[Music: The Offspring – Secrets from the Underground]**

"This one" she snapped.

Multiple torrents of dirt geysers erupted around her, heading towards the lizards through the ground. Mole Special Forces was on the move, and fast. Each one was moving at Cheetara's top speed… underground and digging. Moles exploded from near the lizards, firing their rifles as they jumped out and took cover, as others leapt back into the ground and kept digging. The lizards were being taken down easily as they couldn't fire back, or else they'd hit nothing but dirt. Their defense WAS their offense. Some lizards started getting pulled underground, never to be seen again. Some moles blasted from the ground sitting inside cycle balls modified with razor wire along the wheels, completely weaponized to cut through enemies as they headed by the lizards.

Willo popped up next to Kalihara and smiled.

"3rd Battalion reporting for duty ma'am! We got the orders to engage! We will finish the enemy!" he grinned as he had his clawed hands on his hips.

"Go ahead Lieutenant" she beamed with her fanged smile. He nodded and dove into the ground himself, as a dirt geyser erupted and headed towards the mech. Multiple moles spun around the mech, sinking it into the ground. Drill tanks shot from the ground and slammed into the armor, tearing through the plating and punching through the other side. RPGs were being fired from moles behind Kalihara.

_Hey yo! No!_

_I'm not good at going away!_

_I got something more to say!_

_Kick it! Screaming! It knocks you down! It knocks you down!_

_Hey yo! Go! Underneath I'll tear you down!_

_Secrets from the underground!_

_Ain't no stop so far!_

Kalihara ran forward while the mech was torn apart. Jackalman bolted as Lion-o turned his attention to the falling apart mech. A skimmer shot nearby with Slithe on board, and Jackalman jumped on and charged off into the sun. Kalihara was at a dead sprint towards Tygra and Cheetara, sliding on her kneepads as she pulled her pack across her side and dug through it. She pulled out a small syringe and slammed the needle into the side of the blonde's neck. The liquid poured in as the black veins were moving up her jaw line.

"Is she gonna make it?" Tygra asked.

"I don't know; that was to hold it in check. I have no idea what that stuff is. It's a blood cleansing and oxygen repeating agent for wounds" she told him honestly.

"The water elementals!" Kat said as he helped Kit roll a barrel over to Cheetara. The barrel sat next to them as they pried the top off. The water elemental sat cautiously in the barrel, not wanting to come out.

"It's ok, you're safe, but our friend needs help against the poison you were fighting against. Please help her" Kat asked. The elemental slowly peered out, but pulled back softly as the desert heat touched her liquid.

"Get some shade over here!" Tygra yelled. Kalihara motioned for moles to run over and hold up blankets. The elemental seeped out carefully, not wanting to touch the hot land below. She pressed her flowing hand softly to Cheetara's neck for a few seconds, her liquid fingers wetting her fur. The veins slowly reversed and disappeared as Cheetara opened her eyes and blinked, groggy from the effects.

"Thank the goddess…" Tygra said, and suddenly caught that he had uttered the same thing Kalihara said. He didn't even worship the same gods she did, but he was thankful she was there with that syringe to hold the poison back long enough for the elemental to help her. The water elemental pulled back into the barrel, looking at everyone through the opening with scared eyes.

"It's ok, we'll take you back to the spring" Kit told her. The watery face smiled but still remained in the barrel.

"I thought I'd lost you" Tygra whispered as she caressed his cheek with her furred hand.

"Sorry to worry you" she whispered weakly. He nuzzled her forehead as she closed her eyes.

"Nice job" Lion-o told Kalihara as she stood up.

"Me? Thank the moles. Thank General Fubar. They saved themselves; we just gave them what they needed: Information about where the enemy was, and what they were doing and how they were doing it. They handled the rest" she replied.

"Yeah, they did, didn't they? I had no idea they were that fast at digging!" Lion-o exclaimed.

"I didn't either. I had heard some of the recruits brag at how quick they were, but I thought it was just exaggeration. One heck of an army they have, even if older tech than the lizards. They couldn't be touched underground" she said with a smile.

"They didn't lose a single man… err, mole" he chuckled.

"Their army is small, maybe ten thousand at the very most, but their quick and have an incredibly fast QRF" she chuckled, looking at Willo. He gave her a thumbs up and smiled.

**[One Hour Later]**

"That was the last one" Willo said as they opened the barrel and the water elemental joyfully jumped back into the toxic water. They didn't seem to mind if it was polluted, as they quickly cleaned and filtered the liquid into crystal clear life sustaining water. The more there were, the quicker they cleaned it seemed. Considering Jackalman was removing them as they contaminated the wellspring, it must have become harder and harder for the remainder to keep it purified.

"I guess we have friends that live in the water supply now" General Fubar said as he stood with his hands on his hips.

"I guess you do" Kalihara answered.

"We'll have to stop pushing detergents and scrubbing chemicals into the water now. Who knows what we've been doing to strain our relations with our neighbors?" he asked.

"Better be safe than sorry and let them do the hard work. You can protect them from further capture in exchange" Lion-o said as he came up behind the two.

"I agree. We'll fortify this area soon, with the new portcullises and turret bunkers. These ladies will never worry about the same thing happening again!" Fubar said proudly. One of the water elementals popped her head out of the liquid and looked at Kat. He waved at her, and she waved back.

"Looks like you made a friend" Cheetara said smiling as she came behind him. Tygra walked with her, with a bandaged arm.

"Yeah, I guess she was the one who I pulled the lid off for when we found out what they were doing" he chuckled out. The water elemental bobbed there for a second smiling before disappearing back into the liquid she was made of.

"So… if there are water elementals… there are other elementals as well?" Tygra asked.

"I guess so. We need to be careful not to anger any of them in the future" Kit commented as she put a finger to her lip.

"Hmph, I just hope there isn't an elemental for everything. A Thunderium elemental hiding in the power core of the Feliner is just what I need when things start to go wrong" Panthro grumbled. The cubs chuckled.

"Well, does this mean we've earned the water now?" Lion-o asked.

"You most certainly have. I'll have the boys transport it to your ship. Our tunnels head right to it as a matter of fact" Fubar responded.

"Wow, no carrying anything. That should take a load off our backs" Lion-o chuckled as he looked at Kalihara. She still had the backpack full of canteens and jerry cans. She nodded as if knowing she'd have an easier time.

**[Six hours later]**

"Alright, you're full up. We even got some spares for ya" Fubar said proudly as he pointed at the row of stacked jerry cans in the cargo bay. All of them were gun metal gray. Kalihara frowned slightly.

"Would be better if they were light blue, but I guess we can live with it" she said as they stood on the platform leading into the ship.

"Also provided a bit of that kerosene as well, and something special that we mined further below" Fubar chuckled. The kerosene jerry cans were nearby, with attached stickers that labeled them.

"YOU FOUND THUNDERIUM?" Panthro roared from the cargo bay. He ran to the top of the bay door and gawked at Fubar.

"What? We moles find everything down there! Anything from Diamonds, to coal, to Thunderium!" he laughed out. Panthro just stood there, dumbstruck.

"And even Petroleum. I guess I found one of your own Kerosene containers lying out here when you filled the lake" Kalihara added.

"I guess you did" Fubar chuckled. He glared at some soldiers nearby, who looked incredibly nervous as they stood at attention.

"We'd like to stay longer, but we have to get going" Lion-o said as he shook hands with General Fubar and the mole King.

"General Fubar, it has been an honor serving with you" Kalihara said as she snapped to and saluted him. The Thunder Cats watched as she showed respect to the General.

"Thank you Major" he smiled. She turned on her heel after saluting and headed up with Lion-o to the top of the ramp.

"Major!" Fubar yelled out. She turned around to see Willo next to him. There was a line of mole soldiers behind them.

"The honor was all ours" Fubar said.

"TEN HUT!" Willo yelled out. All the soldiers snapped to attention and saluted. Kalihara smiled as she surveyed the troops. Each was a member of the 3rd Special Battalion.

"If you ever come back, you'll be welcome here. And, if you need backup in the future against Mumm-ra, whether assaulting his fortress of doom or whatever it is needed to take him down a peg, we're your moles!" Willo said. The rest cheered and pumped their fists.

"Thank you" Lion-o said as the door closed.

"Ugh, it's hard to fly with one arm…" Tygra grumbled as Cheetara came up behind him.

"I think you'll manage. You always do" she said near his ear as she kissed his cheek. He smiled and looked at her.

"Alright. Let's head to the next stone" Lion-o said as he stood in the cockpit staring at the view screen, with Kalihara sitting nearby and the cubs right next to her. Panthro was digging through the cargo of ample supplies, checking on each item. They were set for the long haul. They would find the last stone.


	3. Family Reunion

**Episode 29: Family Reunion**

**[Two Days Later]**

Lion-o was perched over Tygra's shoulder as he continued flying. They had set down twice already to rest with no need to gain supplies. The additions the moles had made would allow them to go on for another week before needing to gain food and water. Lion-o had asked Kalihara if having a water recycler installed in the ship would help them continue; however, Kalihara quickly explained "we already have one, but the consumption of water to stay hydrated makes the water level dip, as well as cooling for the ship's power core." He felt a bit dumb for asking her, but she had dismissed it as educating him. He was still new to technology, and even Panthro learned a thing or two from her. She just wasn't as knowledgeable as an engineer would be from her home.

"Hey Kalihara, I noticed you don't drink much from the kitchen. Is something wrong?" Kat asked her; worried she wasn't taking care of herself.

"I have a water condenser in my room. It pulls water molecules from the air and contains it for later use" she explained to him quietly.

"Wow, why didn't you tell the others? We could install it into the ship and have unlimited water" he exclaimed enthusiastically. Lion-o overheard the conversation and looked at her in confusion. Was she holding out on them? No, she wasn't selfish; quite the opposite from what he saw.

"The condenser wouldn't help. It produces enough liquid to keep one person hydrated per day, as it creates three liters per twenty four hour period. Not nearly enough for this ship. It would be a drop in the bucket" she told the cub.

"Oh. Oh well, guess we'll have to find something else" he said sadly.

"We might find a larger version in the future, but when that will happen is anyone's guess" Panthro commented.

"You would think the moles would have something like that" Tygra complained from his pilot's seat.

"They're industrial era; that kind of tech takes more than what they have right now. Maybe in a few decades, but not now" Kalihara said, keeping a calm voice. Lion-o was always being irked by his brother's comments about others, but she always seemed to keep her head about her, excluding the incident that Tygra had explained to him involving putting a rifle under his chin. She gave her reason to him that he was putting others in danger and he needed to stop. When Lion-o asked her if she really would have pulled the trigger, she responded with a less than desirable answer. She didn't reply, and he somehow knew what that meant, but she didn't want to worry him. She would have done it in a heartbeat without hesitation.

"If there isn't anything important happening, I'll retire to my quarters" Kalihara said to everyone as she walked back through the small bulkhead door and went into her room. Lion-o watched her go and sighed. She spent most of her free time holed up in her room away from everyone else. He had to actively seek her out to get her to be social with the adults. Kit and Kat, on the other hand, she let in whenever they wished.

"Why don't you tell her" Cheetara asked from her seat.

"What? Tell her what?" the young king stuttered out.

"How you feel. You either explain your feelings to her and ask if she feels the same, or she declines and you move on. Either way, it will stop being nothing more than a crush" she told him over her shoulder. The cheetah was trying to help him with his love life. The queen of mixed signals.

"Wha? well… uh… I… alright… I guess I'll just have to find the right time I guess… maybe a date? Yeah, a date…" he muttered out.

"He's hopeless" Tygra grumbled as he slapped his hand over his eyes and gave a soft groan.

"What? Now is not the best time to tell her alright! I'll choose when I feel the time is right" Lion-o snapped.

"Fine fine, but don't expect her to wait around forever… if she's even interested…" Tygra replied as he gestured with his left hand and continued flying.

**[Meanwhile]**

Kalihara's door beeped once.

"Enter" she said, and soon the door opened. Kit and Kat walked in.

"Hey, we were kind of bored and were wondering if we could be in here with you?" Kit asked. Kalihara was sitting cross legged on her bed with her rifle disassembled. She was cleaning each piece with a small tool kit.

"I'm fine with that. Lion-o can't find anything to entertain you while we fly?" she asked.

"Hah! Ha ha, it's not like we have much in the ship, and his mind is on other things. Besides, there's almost nothing here besides chores" Kat chuckled out. Kalihara raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"And have you done any of them?" she asked. A small catty grin crept onto her face for a moment.

"Uh… well…" Kat looked nervous as Kit looked around the lioness's room.

"Hey what are those?" Kit asked as she pointed to a shelf on the wall and tried to change the subject. Kalihara looked up at the shelf and saw what she was pointing at. Two different colored plush robotic rabbits, one white and one blue. Her room had gained some other amenities, courtesy of the moles. A weapons rack was on the wall facing her, with one of their slug rifles resting on it as well as a pistol. If she ever gained other weapons, she could place them there for display, as it was doubtful she'd ever use anything but her Lochlear or sidearm.

"Oh… those…" Kalihara said quietly, a sadness hinting in her eyes as she looked at them.

"They were for… someone…" she replied as she continued cleaning her rifle.

"Toys?" Kit asked as she reached up and pulled one down.

"Yeah… a gift…" the soldier said softly, memories welling up in her mind as she tried to push them aside and continue cleaning. Her hand stopped with a small brush pushing through the barrel.

"They're so soft! And they move too!" Kat chuckled as they put them down on the ground. The rabbits walked forward and sat down, their ears moving in different directions. The cubs had never had technological toys before, mostly old fashioned trinkets to play with. Kalihara looked down at the rabbits as the cubs were glued to the ground, their eyes filled with fascination as the rabbits saw each other and their sensors recognized another rabbit nearby. They ran around each other and pushed noses together, as one started chasing the other in a figure eight and stopped. They both laid down, looking as if they were asleep for a little bit before continuing on with a random set of motions programmed into them. Kalihara smiled as she saw the cubs were giggling and poking at the robotic toys, and the rabbits responded by pushing back their ears, with Kat petting one of them.

"They act so real. Whoever they were for, they would have been really happy" Kit said as she watched the white one. Kalihara had a small smile creep onto her face as the cubs were very interested in her choice of gift.

"How would you two like them?" she asked. Both cubs looked up at her.

"What? Really? You mean it?" Kat asked. Kit elbowed him in the side, and he looked at her. She shook her head.

"We couldn't take these. They were a gift for someone" Kit told her.

"That someone is no longer around remember? They were from long ago. Go on, take them" she said smiling at the two.

"Um… thank you… these are really nice Kalihara" Kit told her, and Kat nodded in agreement. Kat picked up the blue rabbit while Kit took the white one. Completely out of nowhere, they both hugged her. She reciprocated the hug, and the cubs walked out of the bedroom with their new toys. Snarf was walking around in the small hallway when the cubs came out.

"Hey Snarf! Look what Kalihara gave us!" Kat said as he put down the blue rabbit. Snarf sniffed the small furred machine and it suddenly came to life, with Snarf scared out of his mind and bolting behind Kit's leg, with the rabbit in tow behind him.

"Snarf snarf snaaaarrrrrf!" he squealed out as he tried to get away from the furry robotic animal. The cubs laughed as he ran out of breath and stopped, panting as the rabbit sat next to him and wiggled its ears. Kalihara let out a halfhearted chuckle from her room as she watched with her door open. Her mouth slowly moved into a frown as she felt an unbelievable sadness while watching the cubs play. Lion-o walked through the bulkhead door and looked at the two playing with Snarf.

"Where did you get those?" he asked.

"Kalihara gave them to us. Aren't they cute?" Kit asked him as they both held up the toys. He lifted his hand and poked one with his finger, and the nose twitched. He found it a bit unnerving.

"Yeah, um, they are. Are you sure she let you have them?" he asked, worried they had stolen them from her.

"It's alright. I gave them as gifts. I don't need them obviously" she yelled from inside her room, as the walls absorbed most noise.

"Thank you again! You're the best!" Kit yelled out.

"You're quite welcome" Kalihara responded. Both cubs went into their bunk room and closed the door. Lion-o walked to the lioness's room and looked in. She still had a look of sadness on her face while she cleaned her weapon, but it quickly vanished once she saw Lion-o's face.

"Something you need help with?" she asked in a curious tone. The frown had changed to a mask of stone as she looked up at him. It worried Lion-o that she was hiding something, some pain that he didn't want her to have. If there was a problem, he wanted to help her.

"Just wondering what was going on that's all. What are you doing?" he asked.

"Cleaning my equipment" she told him. Her hands moved from piece to piece, oiling different parts and brushing away any odd dirt particle.

"Do you… need any help?" he asked.

"I'm done" she replied as she started snapping pieces together quickly and efficiently, and in less than a minute everything was back in the shape he was used to, the Lochlear modular rifle. She looked up at him, still cross-legged in her green cargo pants and green tank top. She was giving him a "why are you still in my room?" look.

"I had a few questions to ask, if you'd be willing to answer them" he said as he stood in front of her bed. She leaned the rifle against her bed and looked at him, expecting him to start asking. He took that as his cue to sit down, though the only spots to sit were either on the floor, or on the bed next to her. He chose the floor, and slid down the wall to a rest with his legs in front of him. He looked up to see her curious eyes studying him.

"I was wondering about how Thundera was back then. I've seen technology obviously, but… how did it all work? Our government? Our people? Were we space faring? Were we hiding in caves? Did we live in castles like I did?" he asked.

"That's quite a few questions. I'll do my best to answer them. We were not a space faring nation per se, though we did have satellites. Our people were divided into nations-" she started. A loud explosion rocketed through the ship, with alarms going off everywhere. The Feliner wobbled, throwing Lion-o off the ground and floating for a brief second before landing on Kalihara on her bed as the ship lilted to the side.

"Wha… sorry, I… Tygra! What in Thundera just happened?" Lion-o yelled out, still on top of Kalihara.

"We've been hit! We just got shot at! Second engine is damaged! Gonna try and land her!" he yelled out as the ship shuddered. Equipment rocked around in her room as Lion-o looked at Kalihara. Just then, he realized who he was on top of. She had realized it too, as she kicked him off of her and held onto her bed while he did the same once he regained his composure. The ship lazily headed towards the ground, lilting from side to side as the Feliner finally landed, skidding across the ground. Kalihara was thrown away from her bed and slid towards her door. She braced her feet against the frame as Lion-o tried to grab at her again, ultimately falling off the bed himself with his arm landing on her chest. Everything stopped moving as the alarm lights above winked on and off.

"Ugh… we were… shot at?" he asked, noticing where his hand lay. She picked up his arm and moved it aside as she got up, with the young king profusely repeating apologies. She wasn't really interested in them at the moment, as she kip upped and ran towards the cockpit. Lion-o charged after her and saw Cheetara picking herself off the ground next to Panthro. They had both been walking at the time, and Panthro had latched onto the new cargo net on the ceiling to keep from flying everywhere before falling.

"Everybody ok?" Lion-o asked as Kalihara bolted back through the bulkhead door and to the bunk room, her black hair barely trailing behind as a small wave while she slipped through. Lion-o stood in the cockpit waiting for her to return. He heard her talking to the cubs and checking on them before all three walked out.

"We got hit by a missile" Tygra told them.

"Who shot it?" Panthro asked.

"Don't know, but there was only one, and it caught us completely off guard. The good news? It didn't puncture into the ship. The bad news? The second engine isn't responding" he told them as he typed away at the computer. The wire frame of the ship popped up, with the second engine going completely dark, not even red like the surrounding area,

"Nothing a little elbow grease won't fix" Panthro said as he opened the cargo bay door.

"Missiles tend to frag things Panthro. It usually takes more than elbow grease to fix that kind of damage" Kalihara warned him.

"How bad could it be?" he asked with a chuckle.

**[Half Hour Later]**

"You've got to be kidding me" Panthro muttered as his face fell. The whole left thruster engine was ripped off and torn to pieces behind the ship. The thruster literally disintegrated.

"I told you. Missiles don't usually take out a piece of a ship Panthro. They go to gut first, and wound second" Kalihara told him from behind as the Thunder Cats surveyed the damage.

"I take it you've fired one of those before?" Lion-o asked her. She turned away, a sad look on her face and for a time didn't answer.

"I've had personal experience with having one connect, let's leave it at that" she told him quietly.

"We can't fix that… can we?" Lion-o asked. Panthro jumped down from his spot on top of the side holding panels of the now empty second engine nacelle.

"It's a lost cause…" Panthro told them.

"Kalihara? Couldn't you… you know, make a new one?" Lion-o asked.

"I already told you. My gauntlet doesn't make sufficiently advanced pieces of equipment. Combustion engines, sure, but a Thunderium enriched pulse jump engine? No way. I wouldn't know where to begin" she answered.

"Then… we're stuck here?" Kat asked worriedly.

"Hey Kat… look around…" Kit whispered as he observed the surroundings. They both nodded at each other as they had a brother sister exchange of the same thought.

"We aren't stuck here. We just have to go to a nearby town and see if we can't collect the parts… or make them…" Panthro told them as he walked back into the ship.

"If we can get the materials, then Panthro could probably rebuild it, but you never know what these out of the way cities have to buy. Kalihara, would you at least be able to pull up metals from the ground with your gauntlet?" Tygra asked.

"It needs a blueprint to eject the nanites or it won't engage that feature. It's a safety system in the event someone tries to launch them at, say, another person to melt their face off. There's just too high of a chance for the software of the nanites to go haywire without a preprogramming to stop them from flipping around and attacking their user" she replied.

"Guess that settles that. We just got to find a city nearby" Lion-o said as he looked around at the horizon.

"I need to launch another MSR" Kalihara said as her gauntlet beeped a low error, and red text scrolled across the small screen.

"Huh? The satellite? Didn't you already shoot one up?" Tygra asked.

"I did, and I also mentioned it didn't maneuver well. Apparently, you have space junk up there that I didn't know about, and it rammed into the small orbital that I launched. Its space junk in its own right now" she told them as she walked over to a nearby patch of land and squatted, her gauntlet outstretched and typing on the control panel on her forearm.

"So your satellite just got taken out?" Lion-o asked.

"Just now, yes. I'll launch a new one to search the surrounding area for a city" she replied as she walked back inside for the launcher in her room.

"We know where the nearest city is!" Kat told everyone as he gestured his hands for everyone to listen to the cubs.

"You do?" Panthro asked.

"Yeah. We came this way a while ago…" Kit told him, a sad glance exchanged between the cubs.

"How far have you two traveled before meeting up with us anyways?" Tygra asked.

"Does it matter Tygra? They're here now and have been helping when they can" Cheetara stepped forward.

"What? I'm just asking. If they're walking road maps, then all the better. They can shorten our lay away time" he said in defense.

"Yeah we know one. It's… well, it's a primate city" Kit told them, grimacing.

"Oh" Lion-o copied her facial expression and rubbed the back of his head. Tygra looked up at the nearby mountains as he had his hands on his hips. There was a long silence that washed over the group as Kalihara walked back out, her eyes casting over each Thunder Cat.

"Did I miss something?" she asked.

"The cubs know of a city nearby from the land marks. The problem is… it's a primate city" Lion-o explained.

"And?" she asked.

"And nothing… oh wait, you haven't had dealings with them" Panthro said and quickly corrected himself.

"Affirmative. Is there a problem?" she asked as she stood there with the launcher in one hand and a fuse in the other.

"Primate cities tend to be filled with lots of criminals and run by warlords. It's whoever has the most control over the city that runs the show. There are laws, but most are pretty generic, and the law enforcement can be a bit corrupt. We'll have to watch our backs" Tygra told her, completely serious. Despite Tygra's attitude most of the time, he didn't want anyone in the group to get sideswiped.

"The only advantage we'd have is the primates tend to have a pretty impressive black market given their species. If we can't find a whole engine somewhere in there, I'd be surprised. Even if we didn't, we could collect parts that I could build together" Panthro explained.

"How long would it take to build a new engine?" Lion-o asked.

"It would take us two weeks if we built one from scratch by retuning parts, less if the parts are made for an engine of that caliber. If we found a whole engine? A day" he answered. Lion-o sighed. Their best bet was to find a whole engine, which Panthro had said was a decent possibility given the primate city. If it had been a canine city or any other, they might have worse odds.

Kalihara walked out into the open plains far enough away from the ship to make everyone watch her. She squatted down and placed the launcher, engaging the recoil stabilizers and putting her gauntlet to the ground. The same gel poured from the gauntlet and mist, and after a minute a small rocket formed nearby. She again sucked up the gel and the mist rescinded back into the spray nozzle. She picked up the rocket and set it down the guiding rail into the long tube below.

"Fire in the hole" she said as she let go of the rocket and let it fall to the bottom of the launcher, which seemed to be a mixture of a launch pad and mortar system. There was a short WHUMP! from the launcher as the rocket shot into the air, with no visible ignition of the engine until it reached forty feet. The engine engaged soon after, and the tiny rocket shot straight towards the sky, disappearing past the clouds. Kalihara picked up the launcher after disengaging the stabilizer pads and walked back to the ship. Lion-o noticed she wasn't wearing her boots.

"MSR is up. GPS coming in in… five minutes" she reported as she walked back into the ship to store the launcher.

"What's GPS?" Lion-o asked.

"Global Positioning System. Normally it takes twenty four satellites to gain bearings around a planet, but considering my gear is MILSPEC, it's condensed into one with some very advanced equipment" she told him as she sauntered up the cargo ramp lazily.

"Oh. Well, I guess we should get going before dusk" Lion-o said as he followed.

"Why do I get the funny feeling that someone is gonna come to the ship when we're not around?" Cheetara asked.

"Maybe because whoever shot that missile meant to knock us out of the sky… for salvage and pirating" Kalihara commented further ahead as she headed through the bulkhead door to the small hallway and, ultimately, her room.

"So how do we stop them from taking anything? One of us should stay behind" Cheetara suggested.

"No we don't. The Feliner actually has some equipment to mask itself similar to Kalihara's suit. Thank the Berbils for that. It doesn't work nearly as well as her suit as once we're moving it can't keep up with the change in the surroundings, but while it's still, the active camouflage should keep it hidden" Panthro explained.

"Yeah, Panthro and I found the controls for it while we were reading through the small electronic booklet the Berbils gave us… translating it more like it" Tygra commented.

"Somehow I don't think Robear realized we don't read in zeros and ones" Panthro grumbled.

"He meant well" Cheetara chuckled.

"Yeah he did" Panthro chuckled back.

**[Twenty Minutes Later]**

Everyone was set to head out to Monkey City. Kalihara told Lion-o she would be "walking drag" to keep an eye on their flanks in the event whoever shot the missile would come to claim their reward. The Feliner was camouflaged and was almost completely invisible while it stayed still, which would be for a while as everyone feared. The group started crossing a rocky mountainous area after they had walked through a long stretch of plains. Kit and Kat both told everyone that the plains eventually widened out to small areas of open farmlands. Lion-o was impressed with their knowledge of the terrain, and Kalihara was interested in why they knew so much about the area, regardless of if they traveled through it.

"So where is this city?" Tygra asked.

"Just over the ridge and in the valley behind" Kit told him.

"Ok, but-" he started to say but Kalihara stopped everyone.

"Hold up" she warned as they turned around and saw she was crouching.

"What's wrong?" Lion-o asked.

"There aren't any animal noises or movement anywhere" she replied as she pulled her rifle.

"You expect animals to be living up here? There's almost no vegetation. I think you're overreacting Kalihara" Tygra said.

"You usually see small lizards and birds everywhere Tygra. Something has spooked them into hiding" she retorted.

"Oh, yeah, you know you're right. Something has spooked them. US. We're walking through the area" Tygra said sarcastically.

"Tygra" Lion-o barked. His brother looked at him. Lion-o shook his head.

"She's better trained to see changes in the environment than we are. Something is wrong" he told the tiger prince.

"What the…" Panthro said as he looked further up ahead.

"Are those bon fire pits?" Cheetara asked.

"I don't think so…" Lion-o answered as they walked further up. Kalihara checked the surroundings with her scope, swapping to backscatter to see past all the rocks. What she saw startled her and immediately she ran forward.

"EVERYONE GET DOWN!" she yelled as they turned to look at her. A short WHUMP! was heard just on the ridge, and a new hole exploded open ten feet away. The group dropped to the ground.

"SCATTER!" Kalihara yelled as she took cover behind a boulder. Everyone scrambled to anything that would hide visual of their bodies. Multiple other explosions happened nearby.

"What's going on?" Lion-o yelled.

"We're getting shelled! Mortar line!" Kalihara yelled out as she squeezed her body as close to the rock as she could.

"They aren't very accurate!" Panthro yelled out as another shell slammed nearby and exploded, launching a geyser of dirt into the air and carving out a cone divot.

"Mortars don't need to be! They're explosive and arc in from above!" she answered as a round struck near her boulder. She closed her eyes instinctively under her goggles as dirt erupted over her.

"Kalihara!" Lion-o yelled, worried she had been hurt.

"I'm ok! Count your blessings they don't have smart shells!" she yelled back.

"Would that make it worse?" Tygra asked.

"If they had them, we would have been gibbed on the first volley" Kalihara replied gravely.

"Really! That's wonderful! So instead of dying quickly we get to die slowly! That's a blessing?" Tygra asked as another volley struck around them.

"I didn't say we had to stay here! We need to move along the sides! Keep behind cover! Shrapnel doesn't need to aim!" Kalihara yelled.

"She's right! Everyone we need to go up!" Lion-o yelled as another round slammed into the ground and blew up a shrub.

"We can barely get up!" Panthro yelled out as Kalihara looked over her boulder for a split second before dropping back down. She activated her satellite and zeroed in on the mortar line… or lines.

"Son of a... bad news! Three lines of three mortars each! This is gonna be bad if we stay here much longer!" Kalihara warned everyone.

"Any ideas would be better than none!" Cheetara responded as she rolled out from behind a small rock and landed near Lion-o.

"I've got one! It may not work so well but it's the only thing we can try right now!" Kalihara yelled just as her fire finder software on the satellite warned her that the cubs were about to be shelled behind their cover.

"By the goddess…" she whispered and made a judgment call. She bolted from her cover and ran towards their cover, throwing up her scout drone and activating its defensive systems. She dove to the cubs while the drone shot the shell with a concussion weapon. It wasn't meant to damage or harm anything, as it was originally designed as a riot control system. Kalihara knew the small drone had a wide assortment of defensive systems, as did all of her equipment. She couldn't afford to not have them in her situation.

The shell landed closer than she expected, as the arc had only been deflected away from the initial landing spot.

"Oh hell…" Kalihara snapped as she grabbed the cubs and rolled them together behind her, using her own body as a shield against the shrapnel. The shell exploded, sending small metal fragments flying in all directions. The other Thunder Cats hid behind their cover for a split second as Lion-o popped his head up, worried she had been hurt. He saw the shrapnel embedded in the back of her armor.

"KALIHARA!" he screamed.

"I'm still up!" she grunted out loudly. She could be wounded for all he knew. The lioness could be bleeding and wouldn't be able to reach all the metal shot into her back.

"What's the plan?" Tygra asked.

"Cheetara! I need you to run and divert attention away from us! Head for the first line! Panthro! I need you to use those arms of yours and get to the top of that ridge from the right side! Flank them so they stop shelling us!" she yelled out as Kit and Kat were both whimpering next to her. Kit saw the large piece of flak stuck in the back of Kalihara's shoulder. She was worried that she had been hit to protect them.

"Lion-o! Tygra! Covering fire! You should see some black dots moving through the air as they start to arc down! That's your only window to knock them out before they land!" she yelled out as she opened her rifle.

"Wait! What are you going to do? I don't mean to shoot myself in the foot, but you're a better shot!" Tygra yelled out.

"I'm gonna swap to a different ammunition and hit those gunners!" she snapped as she pushed a new ammunition system in and clipped an under slung grenade launcher. She wasn't sniping this time.

"Do what she says! It's the only way!" Lion-o ordered. Kalihara pulled from her pack the spider drone and the auto turret and set them up along with her scout hover drone. She cursed under her breath as she realized the reason the concussion system hadn't deflected the shell well enough the first time. The compressor hadn't had enough time to charge up. She should have activated the drone right at the beginning of the mortar fire.

"Stay near my drones" she said softly as she rolled out from the cover the cubs were hiding behind. She fired a grenade arcing over the ridge and reloaded, as the grenade pinged the whole area with sensor information.

"Cheetara! Panthro! Now!" Lion-o yelled as he got up and aimed the Eye of Thundera up at any black dot slowly moving through the air. They wouldn't be birds as Kalihara had warned him. Tygra popped out with his pulse pistol and fired alongside him as Cheetara bolted from their cover and ran at top speed to the top of the ridge, circling around and coming up behind the first mortar line. They had a pulse machine gunner waiting. Cheetara ran as fast as she could, the pulse shots just behind her heels. She rolled and jumped with her staff extended, hiking herself into the air and coming down on the gunner. The six mortar users turned around and looked at her before she started striking at them. All of them were of mixed species, from apes and dogs to lizards and birds.

Panthro stretched out his cybernetic arms and pulled himself up the right side of the ridge, coming around the side and seeing the second mortar line. Three apes got up while the dogs scrambled to pick up their own rifles, and Panthro charged with his nunchaku. The first ape tried to smash his fists into him, but Panthro was ready for the attack and side stepped, and then forced his weight towards the ape to knock him off the ridge and to the ground, knocked unconscious from the fall but not dead. The other two apes came at him as the dogs got their rifles pointed, but three rounds flew up and arced over the side, smashing into their rifles and splintering the parts. The dogs cowered as they were attacked from nowhere by a very accurate marksman.

"Lion-o! Shield Tygra!" Kalihara yelled out as she cloaked and headed up the side of the ridge. Tygra stepped behind Lion-o as he used the spirit stone as a shield with his gauntlet of omens. The spider drone and auto turret tracked multiple shells flying in towards the cubs, and knocked most of them out. The remaining ones were knocked away by the scout hover drone, so the cubs were safe.

"First line is down!" Cheetara yelled as she smashed her fist into the last ape's face, and as he brought his hands to his nose, she hurricane kicked him.

"Second line I'm heading for!" Panthro yelled out as he deflected shots from the dogs with his nunchaku.

"Tygra! Lion-o! Move up! Advance to the cubs and get them out of there! Pick up the turret along the way!" Kalihara barked from seemingly nowhere as shots rang out towards the last line on the left. Both brothers ran up to the cubs and got them out of cover, bringing them up the ridge and regrouping with Cheetara as they headed to help Panthro. The General leapt into the pill box made of sand bags and started getting into the wet work, beating the dogs into the ground as they tried to bring their rifle barrels to aim at him.

"Don't… you… know… not… to… attack… cubs!" Panthro grunted out as he threw punches at the dogs. The yelps and whines coming from them as he knocked them senseless made the others realize they would just be mopping up. As they turned around toward the third line, they saw it was already over. Kalihara had everything already down with a grenade and two rounds. She gave them a thumbs up from her position, still crouched and barely visible with her lowered camo.

"That's… that" Panthro grunted one final time as he got up, the dogs knocked out or dead.

"Who were these guys?" Lion-o asked.

"Bandits tend to roam the area outside the city. They weren't as bad when we came through here though" Kit told him. Kalihara came around the ridge to stand beside everyone.

"They had pulse rifles and mortars, no grenades but a stack of mines. Someone has been providing them supplies" Kalihara told them.

"It wouldn't be the city. They're trying to stop this sort of thing" Kat commented.

"Why would you say that?" Tygra asked.

"Bandits are bad for business, and the primates want business to keep the city going. Bandits don't answer to the warlords" Kit told him. Kat looked worriedly at Kit, as if they were concerned something had happened.

"What's wrong you two?" Kalihara quietly as she bent over near Kit.

"Um… we're… uh… oh! There's the city!" Kit exclaimed as she pointed over the ridge. Down nestled in the valley, braced against the mountainside, was Monkey City.

"Let's hope the locals are friendlier than these guys" Panthro grumbled. The group started to walk down the path towards the city gates as Kalihara poked Kit.

"Hey, what's wrong? You two seem more aloof than usual" she asked softly. Kit couldn't turn away from the lioness. She had a way of getting responses from them that Lion-o never could. She was kind to them and listened.

"Well… we're from around here…" Kit whispered to her.

"Really? Shouldn't you be happy you've made it back home?" she asked.

"Yeah, which is why we were thinking…" Kit started to say as the cubs and Kalihara fell to the back of the group as the cubs told her their small story about their past.

"So you think we'll find the engine in here?" Tygra asked.

"Anything is possible" Panthro said as they got to the gates. The guards checked papers and eyed the Thunder Cats as they walked through.

"We're watching you. Don't cause trouble" One Silverback said.

"We won't. Where is the market?" Lion-o asked.

"In the trade district" the guard rumbled out. He looked as if he could squash Lion-o.

"Thanks" he replied as they headed through the gates with other travelers. Caravans moved behind them with chickens and other livestock, some with clothing and trinkets. The bazaar in the front was massive, but it wasn't the market they were looking for. It was the front of the city, mainly for the quick moving merchants who were there to make some easy money and head to the next town. The market was for the people who lived in the city, or continued to do business all the time there.

"Kalihara, are you hurt?" Kit asked. Lion-o turned around to see her pull shrapnel from her armored back. She sighed as she removed another and yet another from her shoulder blade.

"Three millimeters… three more millimeters…" she sighed out in relief as she checked her gauntlet.

"Are you ok?" Lion-o asked as looked at her back. She still had three more fragments of metal embedded in her side, but she quickly got another one out. Lion-o reached for another, but she slapped his hand away.

"I can do it myself" she told him.

"Did any puncture?" he asked concerned.

"Thankfully, no, but they were close" she told him as she reached for another. It was stuck, and after a few seconds, she gave up.

"I'll have to remove the last two later" she said.

"Be careful next time. I… we… it would be bad if you were harmed" he told her softly.

"I'll do what is needed to protect others around me. My life for theirs. Always" she said coldly. Kalihara continued forward, brushing Lion-o aside. He stared at her form as she looked at the stalls they were passing, as was Panthro. Kit and Kat both walked next to Kalihara as they checked the stock.

"Anything here we can use?" Cheetara asked.

"Nothing worth noting. These are trinkets to send home, baubles for tourists. Let's check the market" Panthro answered as his lumbering form moved through the masses. The others followed as they asked for directions, with some people pointing in the direction of the trade district. Once they reached the section of the city, which took them half an hour through the throng of other species, they found a blacksmith as well as multiple other stores.

"We should try there first. Materials would be the best start" Panthro said. Each cat watched their surroundings as they mused over the design of the city. The walls were made of sheet metal with a framework of rusted rebar and poles. The buildings were ramshackle above but sturdier on the bottom. Stairs seemed to be nothing more than ramps made of dirt getting progressively higher. Some buildings didn't even have stairs, but ladders going into an opening.

"Hmm, cozy" Tygra whispered as a chimpanzee snuck his hand into a merchant's pocket and stole money. He ran away quickly and crawled up the side of a building, leaping from rooftop to the rooftop.

"Crime is rampant here. Be careful" Lion-o warned. The group walked into the blacksmith's shop, staring at the different armors and weapons on the walls. There were other assorted contraptions as well, made with visible gears and springs, though for what purpose most of the team couldn't tell. The hearth was bright and hot, as was the whole room from the heat the furnace assisted in producing.

"Can I help you?" a voice said as a leather skin was pushed from another doorway, and in walked a white tiger. He had a long mane of hair pulled back in a ponytail with a goatee on his face. He looked to be around the age of forty.

"Ah, we were wondering if you might sell any materials you have, such as steel ingots, Titanium, Platinum" Panthro asked.

"I may, if you need them. Why are you asking for the supplies that I use for my smithing I wonder?" he asked.

"We're trying to repair something that's needed to continue on our trip. Anything you can spare we'd be greatly appreciative and…" Lion-o said and stopped just as he was going to say pay well.

"Have you the money to gain these metals from me?" he asked.

"Uh…" Lion-o asked, looking at the others.

"We definitely do" Kit said smiling.

"Hmm, well, alright. I'll see what we have in stock. Bengali!" he said as he turned around. Another white tiger, this one much younger, around twenty years old, walked through the doorway. His hair was shorn better than the other though his white and black striped hair had a slight ridge along the middle, with an armored chest plate covering his torso but not his arms. An angled pauldron faced down on his right shoulder, and he was wearing a long skirt apron with pockets running the length of the sides, as well as black pants and fingerless gloves to allow his claws out. Strapped to his back was a large ornate sledgehammer, with the mouth of a cat running near the flat head. He had on a belt with numerous spots for tools.

"Yes sir" Bengali asked.

"I need you to check our inventory for any spare ingots we might have my son. See if we have any we can spare for payment and still continue with our orders for the week" his father asked.

"Yes sir" he said as he glanced at Kalihara. She was looking at one of the odd contraptions on the wall.

"For a pretty girl like you, I could always give you a great deal on that" Bengali chuckled as he walked back to the doorway. Kalihara looked at him confused. He winked at her and smiled as he disappeared into the back. Kalihara raised an eyebrow. Lion-o grimaced as he saw the entire thing, with a small growl coming from his throat.

"Easy; stay friendly with the guy who is giving us the stuff we need to get out of here" Tygra elbowed him.

"Fine, but he needs to watch it" Lion-o grumbled out with his arms crossed over his chest. Five minutes later Bengali came back out with a small parchment piece.

"This is the list we have father" he said as he handed the paper to the older blacksmith.

"Hmmm, we can't spare much, what with those useless contraptions you keep making" his father said as he surveyed the amounts.

"Useless? Hey now! Those contraptions are pulling in the tourists! Every girl wants one of those bought for her" Bengali defended himself as he walked over to Kalihara. He leaned past her, smiling up at her as he pressed a small switch on the contraption she was looking at. A small duet of dancers came out onto a platform, spinning around in front of a house. At one point, the mechanical male picked up the female and spun her above his head. There were ornate glass pieces all over the contraption as it played a tune along with the small dancing figures. It was a music box.

"How'd you learn to make the gears?" Kalihara asked.

"A good blacksmith never gives up his secrets, but for a girl like you, I might be tempted to share one. I made my own cast mold for each one. It took me a little over a year to make it, and now I can easily build each one of these music boxes. Here, this one, I think matches your eyes" Bengali said as he picked up another music box that had a small cat figure standing in a gazebo. She had on a pair of fairy wings that were made of blue glass, and as he twisted the key, the wings flickered as the female cat moved slowly around the gazebo. Lion-o was pissed, but Tygra held him back.

"Those molds aren't just for your inventions Bengali" his father snapped.

"I know father, and they're quite useful for repairs done to machines used by the city" Bengali said to Kalihara as he tried to seduce her.

"We're here on business. The materials will suffice" Kalihara told him quietly.

"Shame. If you change your mind, I'll… oh whiskers!" Bengali suddenly exclaimed as he looked at the small clock on the wall.

"Late again Bengali…" his father grumbled. Bengali bolted from Kalihara's side as he shot into the back for a few seconds, and came back out with a large bag slung over his shoulder.

"You need to be careful of getting there on time. The matches don't wait for the blacksmiths" his father snapped at him.

"Sorry! Sorry! Um, I have to take my leave for a job at the tournament hall! Um… maybe, you'd like to come with?" Bengali asked. Lion-o was fuming.

"What's this tournament hall?" Panthro asked.

"It's a long championship arena fight with staged group fights and solo combat. Men and women from all over come to win the grand prizes once they have paid their entrance stipends. Afterwards, they duel to see who is the best. The prize last year was some engine or power source I believe" Bengali explained to them.

"ENGINE?" Panthro and Tygra both said in unison and looked at each other, blinking.

"Yeah. It might not have seemed like much to a warrior, but they could sell it to a wealthy engineer or blacksmith so that they could dismantle it and make more from the design. Everything given as a prize is worth more than you would think in the right hands" the young white tiger told them.

"So, they might have more of them?" Lion-o asked.

"I don't know. The championship was last year. It's possible. Maybe, you'd all like to come with me? I set up a small stall to do quick repairs for any who have entered the tournament. You'd be surprised what they are willing to pay to continue to the next round" Bengali chuckled as he scratched his nose.

"Hmm, we might want to enter the tournament in all honesty" Lion-o said as he looked at the others.

"I'm up for it. As long as we know the rules beforehand, we Thunder Cats should have an easy time" Tygra gave him a thumbs up.

"The rules are numerous to keep fatalities from occurring. This isn't a fight to the death as you might think. Whoever draws first blood on all other team members or knocks out the competition wins. Some fights are placed in a scenario by a vote from the crowds who watch, but those don't always happen. Come on, I've got to get there right now" Bengali told them as he headed out of the door. The group followed and thanked his father, telling him they'd be back. As Bengali made his way down the alleys and up to a large coliseum, he fell back a bit and next to Kalihara.

"So, you don't look like you're from around these parts" Bengali asked.

"You could say that" she replied as she surveyed her surroundings.

"Well traveled?" he asked.

"Maybe."

"Hmm, ever thought of settling down in one place? Have a few cubs?" he asked.

"Now just a-" Lion-o started to say.

"I did that a long time ago. I don't intend on doing it again so quickly" she said coldly as she kept looking at the crowds forming.

"If you ever change your mind…" Bengali said smoothly.

"You're not my type" Kalihara finally said.

"What is your type? I'll be whatever it is you want me to be" Bengali tilted his head back a bit as he kept smiling.

"Not you" she said, and decided at that point that she'd walk with the cubs on both sides of her, which they were eager to do. They had grown attached to each other, as the cubs seemed to treat her as a foster parent. Lion-o was relieved to hear her tell him that.

"Ah, playing hard to get. I'll figure it out. Anyways, this is the spot. The sign up stall is at the main gate. There are twenty five entrance fights, and you can sign up with up to five members in a group. After twenty five entrances, there are the mid battles that further shrink the teams. This is when most groups are at their best in defense as they're wary of their counterparts. Afterwards, it dwindles down to four groups who make it to the finals" Bengali told them as he stood in front of the gates.

"How much to join up?" Panthro asked as he looked at the roof of the massive building.

"One hundred platinum shillings" Bengali told him.

"ONE HUNDRED?" Panthro gawked.

"We barely have twenty in the whole group" Lion-o said sadly as he looked into his pockets.

"We have it" Kit said as she had whispered the code word for her forever bag, and pulled out a small coin purse with the money inside.

"Then it shouldn't be a problem to join. Each fight you win gives you that amount as payment. If you leave after any fight, you forfeit the bonus you would gain from the payment the tourists pay to get in and see the show. That would be another fifty platinum per fight you are in, and once you are halfway, it becomes a hundred per fight. Even at the end, once someone has won the grand prize, they are paid handsomely for their skill and courage" Bengali told them.

"You said this is non-lethal?" Lion-o asked as Kit pulled on Kalihara's suit. She turned and listened to what she had to say.

"It is. There were multiple deaths last year, all in the same group. There was another team that was banned for cheating once they had reached the last battle. I don't know who the grand prize went to because of it. They could still have it" the white tiger apprentice told him.

"Then this will just be a bar fight compared to the war zones we've been in" Lion-o said with a smile, his ego getting the best of him.

"I wish you guys luck then, considering how fiercely the mercenaries have fought in the past" Bengali said as he pointed to a worn out warrior lying propped up against the wall. His armor looked like it hadn't seen maintenance throughout its use, though Bengali was showing them that one fight had torn it to pieces.

"Alright, so we'll just have to be careful" Lion-o said as he looked at his team.

"We need to go somewhere" Kit told Lion-o.

"Alright, well, where?" Lion-o asked.

"The thing is… our home, our family… they're from a farm nearby. Now that we have some money, we want to go see our mother" Kat told him.

"Hmm, there are bandits all around. It'd be ill advised for cubs to go alone" Bengali said grimly.

"We can take you to the farm once the tournament is over" Lion-o told them.

"They won't go alone. I'm going with them" Kalihara explained.

"What? But… the tournament!" Lion-o exclaimed, wondering why she was backing off from a fight that could win them the engine for the Feliner.

"They need to see their family. They're homesick Lion-o. You'll do just fine without me" she said as the cubs and lioness started walking back down the street.

"We'll only have four team members for the fights though!" Lion-o yelled after them.

"Didn't you say this was going to be easy? What's losing one member if you think you'll do so well?" Bengali asked.

"We'll… fine then, we can handle this" Lion-o replied as he looked between his friends. They nodded.

"The first fights are the ones that knock out the weak. You'll make it to the finals if you're as good as you think you are" Bengali chuckled as he walked over to the sign up stall, flashed some badge he had, and walked in and left down a passageway that stopped the crowd from entering.

"We just have to play it safe then" Lion-o told the others as they nodded in agreement and headed to the sign up booth.

**[Meanwhile]**

Kalihara followed the cubs out of the gate of the city and headed northward. She didn't ask them questions about their past, or hassle them about leaving the others. She simply wanted to make sure they got home safely, which the cubs really enjoyed. Out of all of the Thunder Cats, Kalihara was their favorite.

"How far away is it?" Kalihara asked as the sun shone brightly during mid-day.

"It isn't too far. Father used to sell his crops at a stall in the city after harvest" Kat told her as she pulled a canteen from her belt and drank from it. She offered it to the cubs, who thanked her for the water. She needed to make sure they stayed hydrated. Snarf looked hot, so Kat poured a little bit into the cap for him to drink, and then doused him quickly. He bolted behind Kalihara's leg, annoyed that he got wet. He did feel cooler, however.

The trip took one hour walking through the expanded plains until they finally saw in the distance a farm.

"There it is!" Kit exclaimed as she pointed. Both cubs ran towards it while Kalihara continued on her way behind them, keeping watch along the perimeter as they headed to the house. As the cubs reached the fence, they both frowned. The place seemed in disrepair as parts of the fence had fallen apart, there was damage done to the shed holding the tools, and the farmland had overgrown with weeds. From what little they could see of the house further out was disconcerting.

"What happened?" Kat asked as they saw the farm look almost abandoned. Kalihara came up behind them holding her rifle.

"It looks as if no one has lived here for some time, or, they haven't been able to take care of the land" she told them quietly as she looked into the distance with her goggles. She had put them over her eyes to protect against the sun, but now they were more useful in gaining intel on her surroundings. What she saw immediately made her crouch and ready her rifle in full combat mode.

"Contact. Bandits" she said as she pushed the cubs down. She zoomed in on the house, seeing a small stage coach with unknown animals pulling it. There were four dogs; each was playing with… something. She swapped one of her oculars to her satellite and checked to make sure there were no others in the surrounding terrain. There was a lot of ground to cover between the farmland and the house with little cover. If she cloaked and opened fire, she needed to make sure they went down quickly or they could start firing with the pistols she saw them carrying at the farmland… and hit the cubs. Their protection was her top priority at the moment.

As she swapped back to her zoom mode, she let out a small gasp. The something's were two someone's. Two cubs were crying as the dogs were trying to grab them. The dogs were laughing as one of the cubs, a girl, was screaming for her mother, who was nowhere to be seen. The young boy was trying to hit the dog who was picking her up, but another dog threw the boy aside and laughed. The cub slid on the ground a foot as he looked up wincing.

"Let's see if they can walk around so daintily without their tails!" one dog laughed out.

"Yeah! Yeah! Let's tear them off!" another responded.

"Mommy! Mommy!" the girl cried out towards the house. Kalihara had had enough.

"We've got to save-" Kat started to say just as Kalihara sprang into action. She bolted straight towards the house at a dead sprint, bringing her rifle to bear. Three rounds rang out halfway as the dogs slowly turned, but by that time it was too late for them. All three rounds slammed into their targets, killing them instantly as the fourth got up from his crouch near the girl. He caught a brief glimpse of Kalihara charging into him with her rifle stock slamming into his face. It all went black after that for him. Kalihara continued with a full stock strike to his head to snap his neck as he went down. All hostiles neutralized. Her fluid motions of death were as natural as breathing, especially when it came to protecting the cubs.

The two young cubs cowered as she stood up with her rifle and looked at them.

"It's ok, no one is going to hurt you. You're safe now" she cooed softly. They were still very cautious of her just as Kit and Kat ran up panting.

"Hey! Kit! Kat! You're alive! We thought the bandits had kidnapped you!" the young children exclaimed as they ran to hug their older siblings.

"It's a long story. Sorry we've been gone for so long. Where's mother?" Kit asked. Both young ones frowned and a deep sadness covered their faces.

"Mommy's sick" their younger sister said. Both cubs looked at each other and ran into the house. Kalihara followed, letting the younger generation go ahead of her. She checked the door and the surroundings one last time, and placed her auto turret at the side just in case for advanced warning. Kit and Kat went up the spiraling outer staircase straight up as Kalihara saw the state the inside of the house was in. There was a thin layer of dust running along everything, showing it hadn't been cleaned in a while. The stove looked as if it hadn't been in use for two days, and a rack normally used to keep dried foods was entirely empty. The youngsters had probably eaten everything while their mother was sick. They were most likely starving.

The lioness walked slowly up the stairs and saw where the cubs had run off to. There, lying under a ragged cover in bed was their mother. She looked to be sweating heavily, and it was difficult for her to move her hands to caress her children's faces.

"You… you're alive…" she whispered out as she breathed. She looked so weak to Kalihara.

"Mother, we're sorry we ran off, but we had to find a way to help you. We thought if we left that you'd have enough to feed yourself and the others" Kat told her as they grabbed at her hand.

"Oh my babies… I'm sorry I couldn't take care of you very well…" she said in between deep breaths. Kalihara walked over to the bed, and their mother looked up at her. She pushed her goggles up to her forehead and smiled.

"Hello" she said softly down at her.

"This is Kalihara. We've been traveling with a group of Thunder Cats, and with the king himself! We're trying to stop an ancient evil from taking over the world" Kit told her. They told her what they had been doing as Kalihara stood there patiently. The lioness latched her rifle to her back slowly as to not startle the cubs, and leaned over their mother.

"How long has she been sick?" she asked as she checked her forehead. Their mother had a high fever.

"Four days. Two days ago she could barely get out of bed" the young ones told her.

"Has she eaten? Drank anything?" she asked softly. They both shook their head.

"I barely… had enough saved for the children… I couldn't keep that… from them…" their mother whispered out.

"I'm not a doctor, but she needs medical attention. She needs fluids and nutrients to regain her strength. If she's been sick that long, then whatever she's fighting is getting worse by her not taking care of herself. She could die without treatment" Kalihara told the Wilys. The cubs were shocked.

"Here" Kalihara pulled out one of her canteens and opened a pocket with a Velcro flap. She pulled out a pouch of something that she ripped open and poured its contents into. She then closed the canteen and shook it.

"Have her drink this right now. It's an electrolyte solution that should help. Now, I need to know, what are the symptoms you feel, ma'am" she said. She didn't know the first thing about anything beyond emergency first aid, but any information she could collect about their mother, she could pass on to a doctor to get some real treatment. As their mother told her how she felt, Kalihara put her gauntlet to her chest and activated her heartbeat sensor. She checked oxygen levels as well as her eyes.

"Can you help her?" the young boy asked her, and then looked at his older siblings.

"I'll sure try" she told him with a small smile. The lioness took her pack off and dropped it on the ground, digging through its contents and pulling out a first aid kit, and a second orange colored kit. She opened both and pulled out a hypo spray, in which she pressed to their mother's neck.

"Universal vaccine booster shot. It isn't targeted towards any specific infection, but it can help her immune system double up its production of antibodies to fight it off" she said as she opened the white first aid kit and broke an instant ice pack. She placed it over their mother's forehead and told Kit to hold it there for her.

"Thank you" Kit said to Kalihara, and as she looked up from the kit at the cub, she saw in her eyes that she was grateful for everything the lioness was doing. Now she couldn't let their mother die.

"Have her eat this, and I need to get…" she trailed off as she pulled more equipment from her pack, a bottle of iodine and light edible organic detergents as well as a protein bar. She handed the bar to Kat as they helped their mother lift her head to eat it. Kalihara continued picking through her pack, and pulled out a sewing kit she kept at all times, as well as some packaged foods for emergencies. She looked up at the young cubs, and she could literally hear their stomachs growl as they saw the protein bar.

"You two, I'm gonna get some food made for you. Is there a well nearby?" she asked. The young ones nodded as they walked down the stairs with Kalihara in tow. They walked outside and stopped, wary of the bodies still lying on the ground. She'd have to clear them away before the day was done. Both young cubs took her to a nearby well to the east near a fallen tree. The lioness peered down into the hole and pulled on her goggles. As she looked down she saw the water level was almost nonexistent.

"Has the well started to dry up?" she asked.

"It's been getting lower and lower" the young girl told her.

"Alright, well, let's see about getting some of it up here" Kalihara said softly. The bucket wouldn't dredge up anything from so low, so she decided she had to go in and get enough. She sighed and climbed in, slowly lowering herself down with a special glue ability in her gloves and boots, gifted by a modified nanite mesh embedded in the fingertips and toes. She got to the bottom and got enough water into the bucket to bring back up, and climbed up the cobblestones. The entire trip was a tight fit, and she was worried she could be stuck below. As she reached the top and pulled the filled bucket up carefully with the rope, she realized that the food she was preparing for the cubs wouldn't only hold them over for the day. She had to put that on the list to do as well. She finally took out the iodine bottle and dropped a few droplets into the water below, and one into the bucket.

"Alright. Let's get some food into you two" she said smiling as she walked back to the house with the children. Both of them held onto her pants as she got into the house, just like they did with their mother. She was the only thing keeping them alive at the moment.

"Hey Kalihara! What about the candy fruits?" Kit asked from up above.

"That's the last thing she needs to have in her system" the lioness yelled back up calmly.

**[Meanwhile]**

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Today we have a full entourage of able fighters for your viewing pleasure! Who will win the grand prize today?" The announcer yelled out through a bullhorn as Lion-o walked through the small hallway with the others. As they had signed up, they found out that most projectile weapons were not allowed beyond hand crossbows firing pellets. Pumyra would have fit in perfectly, but Kalihara would have been out of the question from what he saw. Her weapon tended to fire plasma bolts, a whole other level above the pulse shots the lizards shot at them. She hadn't mentioned any other type of ammunition beyond the homing rounds she fired at the bandits, so he assumed it was for the best that she wasn't in the team to start with. What he had found out, however, was the entrance price for joining lowered with one less member, and the amount they won increased by a small amount for each fight without a fifth member.

"Alright, so we're… the sixth fight it looks" Lion-o said as he read the roster on the wall. Bets were being made nearby, the crowd seeping through the cracks to make wagers on the combatants. Lion-o's team was an unknown newcomer, and he saw the wagers placed on them. They had only one, and that was it compared to the hundreds the other teams gained.

"So what's the plan?" Tygra asked.

"We'll have to lead them to us, use our strengths for best effect. Cheetara, I need you to run circles around them, keep them occupied while Panthro and I charge in. Tygra, you're going to get in the back shots while we handle the main brawls to finish them off, with Cheetara keeping stragglers from the other groups, like their archers, from breaking away to a safe distance. What do you think?" Lion-o said. Tygra smiled.

"You didn't fall asleep during Lynx-o's lessons after all" the tiger prince chuckled.

"I learned most of it despite what you might think. Remember, it doesn't matter who gets the knock out, it matters that we're the ones standing at the end. Thunder Cats… ho" Lion-o said with a smirk as he pulled the sword of omens. The others smiled back at him.

"Lion-o!" they heard in the background. Bengali was at his small stall, mainly a spot on the ground with an anvil already there. A large brown cloth was set up as well as a bucket of water. Bengali was already working on some leather straps for another fighter's armor. The Thunder Cats walked up and looked at him.

"So it looks like you guys have joined the tournament. It'll be nice to see someone from Thundera win after everything that's happened" the white tiger said.

"Were you from Thundera?" Cheetara asked.

"The outskirts mainly. Kept the tools of the farmers in working order and the bows threaded for our hunters. Business was plentiful for my father and I until the lizards came. Anyways, need anything checked over before you head in? Never hurts to have a keen eye check your equipment" Bengali told them.

"I'm sure we're-" Lion-o started to say, but he remembered how careful Kalihara was with her rifle when she was sitting on her bed. If anything didn't work right, they would be in deep trouble.

"On second thought, maybe a once over couldn't hurt" he finally answered.

"Good on you. Here; let me give you a spin around" the young blacksmith said as he walked around each of them, picking at their clothes and armor carefully.

"Hey! Watch it!" Cheetara snapped as Bengali had felt an area that was a bit out of the way.

"Just checking the leather, I would never intentionally touch a beautiful lady without her consent" he said smiling. Tygra scowled at him, with Lion-o wondering if he wasn't just going for Kalihara.

"Besides, I have my eye on someone else. Wish she was here" he chuckled out. Lion-o cast that thought out as quick as it entered his mind, and now both brothers were scowling. Bengali finished his look over of their armor and weapons.

"Lion-o, your chest plate is about to fall off on the straps. Do you ever check the integrity?" the white tiger asked. Lion-o looked dumbfounded as he looked between his comrades.

"What? Me?" he asked.

"You're the one wearing that armor" Bengali said smirking.

"You don't take good care of your stuff Lion-o. You need to be more careful. Dad told us that all the time remember?" Tygra scolded him.

"What? There have been a lot of things happening in the past few days ok! I've had my mind on a lot of stuff!" he tried to defend himself against his brother.

"Yeah, stuff that involves a certain lioness and hormones. Well you can't fix that now. How much for the straps changed?" Panthro asked.

"Mmmm, with the cost of working here and my pass, I'd say… twenty platinum shillings" Bengali estimated.

"Twenty! We don't have that much…" Lion-o grumbled.

"Hmm, how much do you have?" Bengali asked. Lion-o checked his pocket.

"Nineteen. Look, I don't think I really need-" he started to say. One of the straps moved. He looked at it over his left shoulder and saw his pauldron come completely off. All the Thunder Cats blinked, and as he looked back up at Bengali, his smile got even bigger.

"Tell you what. Since you're buying metals from my father, and I like you, really I do, I'll make a deal with you. I'll repair that armor of yours for free, but I get a cut of anything you win in the tournament. Sound good?" the young blacksmith offered.

"Fourth fight is over! Next up, the terrible terror lizards in round five!" the announcer yelled out.

"Alright alright! Just… be quick about it please" Lion-o said as he removed his chest piece and handed it to Bengali along with his pauldron.

"You can't rush good work. I'll make sure it stays securely" Bengali replied as he sat down and got to work piercing the leather straps he had brought with him and weaved them through the pauldron. Lion-o stood there bare chested as Cheetara smirked.

"What?" he asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Maybe Kalihara should have been here, just to see you standing like this" Cheetara joked. That made Lion-o instinctively puff out his chest a bit and stand as tall as he could make himself, a proud and strong king. Too bad she wasn't anywhere near the city.

"Hehe, Guess she hasn't seen real muscle then" Bengali chuckled out as he got up and walked to his anvil. Lion-o bristled at the comment, but stopped and blinked as Bengali flexed and brought his sledgehammer from the holster he had across his back. He held it from the neck near the head, and started banging away lightly at his chest armor. Bengali's arms rippled with muscle instantly, with all the long hours of work he put into making and repairing broken metal plates and tools as well as armor and lifting un-smelted metals into ingots. Despite all of Lion-o's swordplay, he didn't have nearly the mass that Bengali did after constant labor.

After five minutes of touching up on his armor, with Lion-o getting fidgety, the announcer spoke again.

"Alright! That was a great show of mace skill! Lots of bludgeoning and beating! Round five is over! Round six is coming up!" he yelled out.

"Come on, come on!" Lion-o whined as Bengali picked up the chest piece and looked it over.

"It's done. Remember our deal. Go get them, your majesty" Bengali chuckled out as he swung his sledgehammer over his shoulder, leaning the head near his shoulder blades. The Thunder Cats raced out of the hallway with Lion-o putting his armor on as he ran, sliding through a throng of other combatants as they headed through the portcullis and out into the arena. The crowd went wild as they entered, and on the opposite way, another team came out.

"Wow, this place is huge" Lion-o whispered to himself.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Let's get ready to RUMBLLLLLLLLE!" the announcer yelled out. A loud horn blared off as the portcullises closed. A second horn went off twice, letting them know the fight had commenced.

**[Music: The Glitter Band – Rock and Roll Part 2]**

"Thunder Cats! Go!" Lion-o ordered. Cheetara raced towards the other team, a group of dogs with one ape and one rat. One of them had a morning star and tried to sweep it low, but Cheetara flipped over the chain and brought her staff into his face. He backed up holding his nose, growling. The three men ran as fast as they could to catch up to her as she kept just out of reach of the other group, harassing them. She wasn't to start getting into the melee until the others got there to help.

Lion-o charged in with Panthro at his side as Tygra pulled his whip and disappeared. Panthro struck one warrior in the stomach and threw him into the second, with Lion-o parrying a sword strike and ramming his hilt into the ape's face. The ape snarled at him and tried to grab his arms, but Tygra appeared out of nowhere and pulled his arm back with his whip. Cheetara came up to his left and struck the ape in the face with her staff, and Lion-o finished him off with a backhand of his gauntlet.

"Well! That was a quick fight everyone! The Cats aren't pussyfooting around! Round six is complete!" the announcer said. Everyone cheered as the Thunder Cats stood around looking.

"That was-" Tygra started to say.

"Really fast, I know" Lion-o interjected. The whole fight had taken no more than two minutes. Maybe they didn't need to be so careful after all.

"How many more of these little dances?" Tygra asked.

"Well, there are twenty five fights until the day is over, and the paper says we're in one more" Lion-o replied as they walked back to the portcullis.

"Oh my god! That's the king! The King of Thundera! He's so hot!" some girls squealed from up above. Lion-o looked up as he saw the ladies waving at him.

"He looked at me! He's so cute!" one said as they blew kisses at him. He let out a half chuckle and smiled, continuing on.

"Guess you aren't so hopeless after all" Tygra smirked as he put his hand on his brother's shoulder.

"My heart is taken thank you" the lion replied as they turned the corner.

"But hers isn't, and you are gonna have to fight to fix that" Tygra said, trying to give him some brotherly advice.

"Yeah…" he replied, realizing that Bengali was trying to woo her in just the time he had met them.

"So, it went well I see?" Bengali said from his stall.

"Yeah, it went really well. The armor fits like a glove now" Lion-o said as he rotated his shoulder.

"Of course it does. I added some padding and shortened the straps a bit, with a fine taut line hitch that can be adjusted at any time. I have a reputation to keep you know" Bengali told him with a smile as his arms were crossed over his chest.

"I guess it worked for the best" Lion-o said smiling, as the others started chatting with the white tiger about the city and other items of interest, though he still didn't like Bengali as much as the others seemed to. Maybe it was because they were fighting for the same woman to show interest in them. Jealousy and competition.

**[Four Hours Later]**

Kalihara had moved all the bodies away from the house and into the bushes some distance away. She had stripped everything of value from their corpses, and they never knew if any of it would come in handy. She found some money in their pockets, their pistols as well as some dried fruits and meats. She had also used her magnetic viewing to check for weak spots in the well and fired a round to puncture an area further below. The water had hissed a bit as some of it was evaporated by the heat, but the shot punctured through the wall and opened up another water supply to fill the hole. She had also made sure the cubs were fed and cleaned as well as their mother, who could barely stand on her own. She was worried that the younger two cubs would be traumatized by her shooting the bandits, but they seemed unaffected. For all she knew, they might not care considering they were going to hurt them and got what they deserved, or the cubs were desensitized in the area because of the amount of bandits. Neighbors might have been killed.

"I'm so sorry… I'm a burden…" the mother said weakly as Kalihara had moved her outside to the outhouse. She didn't once let her feet touch the ground, and carried her where she needed to go. The cubs were surprised Kalihara was so strong.

"You're not a burden ma'am. I'm gonna make sure you're up and about in no time" the lioness told her quietly.

"Thank you… for taking care of my babies…" she whispered as Kalihara opened the door and carried her in. Afterwards, the soldier helped her wash her body with a sponge bath and got the sheets changed on the bed. They didn't have much in terms of clean clothing or any spare cloth, so she did what she felt was necessary. She stripped the bodies of the bandits and sprayed her nanites onto them, allowing the little bots to break apart the fibers and weave them into multiple blankets and sheets as there was an exception in the gauntlet to use available resources to provide survival gear. Once that was complete, she got to washing them carefully with soap and some found lavender rubbed on them in the water. Kit and Kat both watched her as she got to work with the chores, making sure the basic necessities were around. The cubs shot into the house and started dusting the area, sweeping as well as making sure the dishes were cleaned.

Dusk came around, and while Kalihara didn't have as much as she wanted finished, she at least had the cubs better off than they were before. Their large bed was clean as was their mother's, they were bathed and fed, and for once in a long time, they were happy. Kalihara had left her spider drone in the fields with a modified tranquilizer turned pesticide being sprayed at the weeds. It had come in and settled down near the door, as was the auto turret. The house was still in disrepair, but she'd get to that soon enough. Once she had the children fed dinner as well as their mother, she put them to bed.

"Would you read us a story?" the younger sister asked. Kalihara didn't know which one they wanted.

"Yeah! Read us… this one" the younger brother asked.

"Alright, alright. Now, let's see here…" the lioness said smiling as she opened the book. It was well worn with parts of some of the pages missing. It seemed to tell of an ancient city called El Dara. Kalihara noticed the book had been repaired twice it seemed, as some pages looked to be hastily scribbled to replace a lost one. As she read the book to them and even found a small tune that she hummed out on one of the pages, the cubs slowly fell fast asleep. She kissed each of them on their foreheads and turned out the lamp on the table, walking down the spiral staircase to the second floor and checking on their mother.

"You must know what it's like, with the cubs I mean. The way you move… act around them… we mothers never give up do we?" she asked as the lioness closed her window.

"No, we never give up. We're not allowed to give up. We fight for our cubs to the death, to make sure they are provided for, to have a future to look forward to" Kalihara replied softly as she walked next to her bed, her feet padding across the damaged floor.

"If anything should happen to me… I need to make sure that my babies are taken care of… please…" the mother asked, staring into Kalihara's emerald eyes.

"Nothing is going to happen to you. You'll get better once I've had a chance to reach a doctor. You'll be back on your feet before you know it" the lioness told her as she put her hand on the mother's.

"You're a miracle to my family" she said as her mouth crept into a smile. Kalihara didn't know what to say.

"Just doing my duty ma'am. Protecting you and your cubs" she said softly.

"Please… call me Sasha" she whispered.

"Alright, Sasha. You won't be bedridden long. We keep getting liquids and food into you and you just rest, and everything will be fine" Kalihara told her.

"I wish I shared your optimistic attitude. But the farm… I tried to keep it going… I just couldn't do it on my own…" she looked on the verge of crying.

"Shhh, it's ok. I'll figure something out. So you took care of your family alone?" she asked.

"No, I had a husband, Marcus… but… there was a twister one day…" Sasha told her what had happened, about how the cubs had lost their father that day. Kalihara looked up at the ceiling, almost staring through it at the bed that Kit and Kat were sleeping in.

"What did he look like? He must have been very strong to pick up those vegetables" she asked. Sasha told her what she remembered, of his face, of his arms and his height, how he was a giant to his children, a gentle giant. He always provided for them, and was loving and caring for everyone at his house. She missed him greatly. The entire time, Kalihara had a facial recognition system running on her gauntlet, listening to every detail Sasha provided. Maybe, just maybe, Kalihara could get a picture made for them to remember him by, maybe put it in the book the children loved so much. She'd have to leave that for another time.

"Get some rest. You need to recuperate your strength" she told her, and Sasha nodded.

"Thank you. For everything" she said as the lioness walked softly down the stairs to the bottom floor. She rolled out her sleeping bag in the kitchen as there wasn't even a living room, set her drones for alert and protection modes as well as set an alarm on her gauntlet to wake her early, and went to bed herself.

**[Morning]**

Kit and Kat both woke up to the smell of something cooking down below. Their noses perked up as they got out of bed, as did their younger siblings as they crept downstairs, past their mother's floor and to the kitchen. Kalihara was standing at the stove cooking in a pot something that smelled like… meat.

"Something smells good" Kat said as they walked up next to her.

"I'm hungry" their younger sister said.

"Sadie, go wash up for breakfast, it will be ready in a minute" Kalihara said over her shoulder as she poured the meat stew into bowls and served them, alongside… bacon. The cubs did as they were told with help from their older brother and sister.

"Wow, where did you get that?" Kit asked. Kalihara didn't answer, but her combat knife looked bloody near the stove.

"Eat up" she answered as the cubs were a little worried she might have gotten it from something nearby… someone nearby that wasn't alive. They picked at the bacon as Kalihara turned around and saw them being cautious.

"No, it's not from the bandits. A wild boar was sniffing around the garden" she chuckled as she realized what they were thinking.

"Oh! Good" Kat sighed in relief as they ate. The cubs stuffed themselves with the delicious food as Kalihara leaned against the wall watching.

"Aren't you gonna eat?" Kat asked her, worried there wasn't enough as he remembered his mother doing the same thing.

"I ate before you woke up. Don't worry. I've been busy" she gestured with her hand and smiled.

"Whoa… the windows…" Kit said halfway through a mouthful. The two windows of the kitchen were fixed, with whole pieces of glass without a scratch. The splints bracing the glass up were repaired as well, as were the shutters. The door was fixed, with the now three hinges squarely in place and firmly secured. It opened effortlessly without a sound, with a peephole in the middle.

"You really were busy" Kat muttered out as they looked around. She was maintaining the house to take care of them.

"All full?" Kalihara asked the youngsters, and they nodded grinning. She took the bowls and washed them, then got ready to head to the garden.

"Where are you going?" Sadie asked her, worried she was leaving.

"I'll be back. I'm just going to work the garden quick, make sure my drones are getting everything in order" she said smiling. Kalihara walked down the path towards the large tract of farmland with the fence. She had put up a few new pegs from the fallen tree that Sasha had told her about that stopped her husband from reaching safety. She had used her gauntlet with the assistance of her spider drone to cut it to pieces and make firewood as well as planks to place around the farm. All before breakfast for the cubs. Her auto turret was set up with a small hose attached to it, the other end going to an auto pump that led to the well. She had taken the old rags that the house had used for blinds in the windows and washed them and had her nanites remake it into a tube. It wasn't waterproof as there were still spouts of water coming from small holes, but with the opening she had blasted into the well before the cubs woke up, it wasn't a problem. The turret was spinning around slowly, watering the land as the spider drone dug into the ground at small intervals. Her scout drone was flying above, dispensing seeds into the holes made as the spider drone closed them up after. She barely had to do any manual labor beyond setting her drones up for the work.

She pulled out a paper map from her back pocket and looked at it. She had Lion-o buy it for her while they were in the city, and now she needed it more than ever. She was heading back to find a doctor that could give her some medicine to help with the symptoms. Her first aid kit just wasn't enough, and she didn't have any chemical mixtures loaded into her gauntlet's database to combat the infection Sasha had. She was going to have to leave the cubs alone for a little bit. Luckily, it wouldn't take her as long to get back this time, as she turned around and headed towards the house, her eyes glanced to the side. There, still being built by the Nano gel and nanite mist, was a motorcycle. She'd need it to quickly get back to the city and get what was needed, as well as any other tools to continue repairing the farm. If worse came to worse, she could get their mother to sell it for a decent profit if it was in good condition, and move to a better place where she could take care of them easily with far more amenities. Considering what she saw inside the forever bag, Kit and Kat were both well to do with the riches they carried around.

Kalihara walked back into the house and got ready to head out. The entire time she asked the younger siblings if they learned any new stuff, either mathematics or school work. They told her there wasn't a school around, and their father and mother were the ones who taught them everything. Sadie tried to jump on her as she put her goggles on her forehead, and she grabbed her and flipped her over her shoulder, holding the little cub in her arms and tickling her.

"Alright alright! I give up! I give up!" she cried out laughing. Kalihara smiled as she put her down. Her twin brother, Liam, had a long stick that he was playing with and pretending was just like Kalihara's rifle.

"Pew pew pew" he said as he aimed it at Kalihara. She held her chest and dropped to the floor, making a croaking noise as she fell.

"Got me!" she said as she lay on the now clean ground. Liam giggled as she got up and ruffled his hair.

"Alright, I have to go get that medicine. I'll be back quickly though. My drones will watch over the house, so you'll be safe. Watch out for your mother" she told them. Her drones came up the path and settled near the door, with the spider bot dropping the auto turret. The long hose that was screwed on was explosively detached from it as the multi-legged mechanical creature brought the pod and latched it to the floor outside. It then pulled its legs into its body and sat to the left, with the scout drone settling on top of the roof in a crook of the second window, keeping a full view like an automated telescope. She could always swap to an aerial view from the satellite as well to keep an eye on the farm. The cubs hugged her tightly, as they didn't want her to leave. They'd become attached to her in the short time she had been there.

"Be careful, keep them inside and occupied" Kalihara told Kit and Kat.

"We will. Come back soon" they replied, and she walked to the side of the house. The motorcycle was finished, and she replaced the Nano gel and nanite mist back into her gauntlet. It had taken three hours to complete the two-wheeled vehicle, but she had set it as a fast moving top of the line, with zero margins for error. It wasn't made for combat. It was made for speed. She flipped her leg over the side, leaned forward a bit and pushed her goggles down over her eyes. She started it up, the low whine of the hydrogen engine engaging as there was plenty of water from the well, and shot off towards the city. She became a blur heading across the plains as she reached the gate in less than twenty minutes instead of the hour it took them to walk to the farm. She didn't have anyone in tow however.

**[Meanwhile]**

"Alright. This is where things get a bit more aggressive. The other teams won't exactly lie down and admit defeat like in your entrance fights. You've got to keep your defense up or you could lose" Bengali warned Lion-o.

"Sure, sure" he replied as he cracked his neck and smiled. The Thunder Cats walked out through the portcullis to a cheering crowd, as Lion-o put up his hands and waved at people.

"They love us" he said as he looked around.

"Don't let your ego get the best of you. Stay focused. We're the ones fighting, not them" Panthro warned him.

"I know, I know, but from what we've seen, this tournament is in the bag" Lion-o replied as he blew a kiss towards one of the ladies above the entrance. She nearly fainted as her friends held her up.

"And the claws come out! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the fourth fight for this group of Thunder Cats! Will they make it to the finals? Nobody knows!" the announcer said as the other portcullis opened. Five apes came in fully armored. The portcullises closed, and the horns sounded.

"Let's knock these monkeys down to size" Lion-o grinned. The group charged, no longer using their tactics they had before as they figured the fight would be just as easy as the entrance battles. The first ape charged Lion-o, and he backed away, but the silverback kept striking at him quickly with no other weapons other than his armored fists. That was enough as one of the punches hit him, sending him tumbling to the ground.

"Ooph!" he grunted as he got to his feet, sliding another few inches with his claws digging into the ground. Cheetara struck at one silverback with her staff, growing roots around him to hold him in place. The silverback broke out of the wood bindings and leapt at her, but she dodged out of the way.

"They're a lot stronger than the last groups we've fought!" Tygra yelled out as he shot out his whip at another, holding its arm in place before he was thrown over the ape's head and landing on his back a few feet away.

"Fine! We need to break their armor!" Lion-o yelled as the silverback charged him again. He dodged right and rolled; striking at the armored layer of plate the ape was wearing and cracking it. Cheetara ran around another and came up behind him, digging her roots into the chinks and tearing his armor apart somewhat, with the plate falling off as the ape broke from her bindings and finishing off her work for her. Tygra got his whip around another's legs and kept tripping him over and over as he got up, slamming his head into the ground each time until he didn't get up again. They used the ape's size and weight against them. By the end of the battle, the cats were tired, and Lion-o was sore.

"And that's how the armor crumbles! Folks! The apes are no longer going ape!" the announcer yelled out. The crowd cheered in the stands as Lion-o limped towards the portcullis, with the others following. They had all been bruised a bit, with Tygra checking Cheetara's cheek.

"I'm fine; I just didn't move fast enough to stop just under that last strike. Forward momentum" she said as she pulled away from his hands.

"I take it things didn't go as easy as you thought?" Bengali asked.

"Yeah… I guess I got a little hot headed. Next time I won't make that same mistake" Lion-o said as he sat down near Bengali's stall. His body thanked him as the aches slowly stopped in his position.

"They only get worse. You haven't seen what the top champions do in the finals. There's a reason they got there Lion-o" Bengali warned him.

"I guess you're right. We'll be careful from now on. Still, even with the tactics we used at the beginning, and the level of skill the midrange now has, it'll be even harder for us to win with only four members" the young king responded.

"Well, I don't know what to say to that. Maybe someone might step in for a cut of the profit?" Bengali suggested. They looked up at him. He wiggled his eyebrows as a catty grin crept over his mouth.

"Are you offering?" Panthro asked.

"Well, what can I say? It was difficult on my own to get enough money to get my badge to have a stall here. Paying the entrance costs was out of the question, and then there was the problem of finding friends to join. But you guys, you've already done that. You still have an open slot in your group. Interested?" he asked with a smile.

"Do you know how to fight and not just fix things?" Lion-o asked.

"This hammer isn't just for show your majesty" he said as he flipped the large sledgehammer end over end in his hand as if it weighed next to nothing. Lion-o shook hands with him as he agreed to allow the white tiger into the group for future fights. Just then a rather noble looking silverback walked down the hallway wearing fine clothes and no armor. He wasn't a fighter.

"Ah, there you are. The Thunder Cats that have been making a name for themselves. How are you today?" the silverback asked in a broad baritone voice. He smiled at them as he stood at his full height.

"We're doing well" Lion-o said as he shook hands with the large primate. He nearly crushed Lion-o's hand, and he winced at the strength of his shake.

"My name is Simion. So tell me, how do you intend to win the finals fighting like you've fought so far?" he asked.

"A good warrior never divulges his secrets" Bengali interjected, and Lion-o accepted what he said in replacement to what words he was going to speak.

"Hmm, well, if you consider yourselves to be good warriors after that mockery of a fight, then you won't make it to the finals. Might want to change it up, swap tactics" Simion laughed loudly. Lion-o grimaced as the others were not amused.

"Ah, why the long faces? Oh don't worry, just some taunting. All in good fun, we all expect it once in a while. Now, you are all here to win the grand prize obviously. Are you willing to fight the best to get it? Are you willing to fight my team for it? They've never lost" the primate told them.

"That's a lie. The last year's tournament had two teams fight against each other, and one of those teams was killed to the man. The other was banned and disqualified to win the tournament" Bengali growled out.

"My team wasn't in the tournament last year. They were traveling abroad. Perhaps you've heard of them? The Silver Breakers?" Simion asked. Bengali's face immediately broke into a look of shock, the blood draining from his nose and his jaw dropping a bit.

"Uh oh…" he said as Simion grinned.

"Yes, uh oh is right. Ten straight years of no losses. They're unbeatable" he laughed out.

"I've never heard of them, so they must not be as good as you say" Lion-o growled out.

"Oh they are, but don't let my personal view of the team spoil the fun. Let the crowd speak for them. After all, this is their home city. But nonetheless, may the best team win. I wish you good luck in the tournament" Simion chuckled out and waved goodbye to them. Lion-o was worried now.

"Whiskers…" he whispered as he looked at Bengali.

"Yeah…" he acknowledged Lion-o cursing.

"Are they really as good as he says?" Cheetara asked.

"Better. They've never lost a match, ever, in or out of the tournament. Their armor… I helped make it" Bengali told them.

"So you know where the chinks are to break it apart" Lion-o said smiling.

"There are none. I made sure of that. It was a test to prove to my father that I could make a suit of armor as good as he could. I succeeded, but I didn't make just one. There were five suits, and all of them are worn by those apes. They are wearing a layer of padding just underneath a layer of chain plate for ease of movement as well as protection, and a very light but very flexible tower shield and duel ended maces. They have reach, they have defense, and they have offense." Bengali looked disconcerted as he looked at the ground thinking of some way to stop them.

"We'll figure something out before the finals. There are still two other fights we have to win" Lion-o said as Bengali nodded.

**[Meanwhile]**

Kalihara leapt from her motorcycle and looked at the map, seeing the markings for the small hospital ahead of her. She pushed the motorcycle next to the building and walked through the door, immediately going into a crouch as she saw what she thought was a shakedown. Three dogs were standing in front of a makeshift desk with an old orangutan standing behind it looking very nervous.

"Now, it would be a problem if this whole building went up in flames. How about you just pay the protection money, and we can get out of your hair so you can help your patients" the dog said. The old ape standing behind the desk was worried.

"We're a hospital. We don't have much" he said stuttering. His voice sounded Tegedian, which was similar to the human's Asian accent.

"Well then, that's gonna be a problem. Things happen when you don't pay" the dog said as he knocked random items off the desk. A small double click was heard as Kalihara came up behind two of the dogs with the third one in shock that they got snuck up on.

"I make problems disappear. You two, on the ground" she growled, her pistol and her rifle held in one hand each, aimed at the backs of their heads. They raised their hands as the third one backed away and ran out the door. Kalihara let out a small sigh as the two in front of her shared a glance to each other. One tried to flipped around and grab her arm, but she reflexively rammed her padded elbow into his face and slammed the grip of her pistol into the other's neck as he tried to punch her. The first one tried to kick her, but she blocked with her forearm and aimed with her rifle, firing. He slumped to the ground as the other stared in shock. She aimed her pistol and shot him in the arm, winging him. He backed off and ran out of the door as fast as he could. The orangutan sat in the corner behind the desk cowering.

"I'm not here to hurt you. I need your help" she said as she rolled the dead body over and checked his pockets.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"My name isn't important, but do you know of a farm out of the city? I need some medication for a Sasha Wily. She's ill" the lioness explained.

"Ill? What are the symptoms?" he asked as he motioned for her to walk with him to the back of the room and through a door. He kept eyeing the body and the weaponry she was carrying as she put her pistol back in her holster and latched her rifle over her shoulder. She explained what the woman was feeling, and that she had four cubs she needed to take care of.

"Hmmm, I believe I remember her cubs from long ago… tell me, how is Kit and Kat doing?" the orangutan asked. Kalihara was surprised that he knew the cub's names.

"Um, they're doing fine now, thanks for asking. So you do know the Wilys?" she asked.

"Hmm, yes, though not through good times. I had heard about their father, though never met him. A sad day. I had treated the cubs when they had come here for colds, nothing serious. They were on a trip they had said. I did not ask them where they were going, as I was simply there to stop the sniffles and coughs" he told her as he walked down the hallway past multiple rooms. As they passed one room, Kalihara peered in and saw a man sitting on a bed and talking to a nurse.

"Still don't remember anything sir?" she asked.

"No… I guess I just am not meant to remember my past life" he said with sadness. He was a large cat, with a tail. He looked somewhat old, around his forties or even fifties, with a somewhat robust figure, though it looked to have dropped steadily while he was in the hospital. Kalihara was curious as to the man as she followed the doctor.

"Hmm, let me mix up a remedy for her. Here, hold this" he said as he pulled out some herbs and mashed them with a mortar and pestle. He did this multiple times until he had a sizeable pile, and pushed them into two separate bags.

"This one you must give her to chew in her food. It will not taste very good otherwise. This, you must steep in boiling water for her to drink and inhale the vapors. It will help considerably" he told her.

"How much do I owe you?" she asked as she pulled out the forever bag that she had taken with her. She would bring it back, but it was the container for all the money they needed.

"Don't worry my dear. You've stopped a group from harming this hospital. A few herbs are nothing" he said.

"Thank you" she replied and bowed to him. He smiled and waddled off as she turned around and headed down the hallway again. She stopped in front of the room with the man sitting on his bed, this time without a nurse. She pulled up her gauntlet and looked at the picture the facial recognition software had made. Kalihara gasped. She was staring at the Wily's father.

"Doctor?" she yelled out. The orangutan came back and looked at her.

"Yes?" he asked.

"How long has this man been here? What is he suffering from?" she asked.

"Ah, he's been suffering from amnesia. He can't remember his past, or who he is. He's been here for some time, as some memory is blocking him from continuing with a new life. His short term memory suffers from it, and he cannot keep a job. We help those in need from time to time that cannot help themselves if they have a medical condition" he told her.

"Is it possible someone can survive a high drop from a twister?" she asked. He looked up at her in surprise.

"Yes, it is possible, but unlikely. Why?" he asked.

"Sir? Might I have a word with you?" Kalihara asked. The man looked over at her and cautiously nodded.

"Do you remember anything from your past? Anything at all? A picture? Something that doesn't make sense?" she asked.

"No, nothing" he told her.

"Hmmm" she hummed out as she looked at the picture again. Maybe she was wrong?

"There is one picture… I think… I don't know what it is of though…" he suddenly said.

"Of a farm?" she asked.

"No, sorry" he told her. She sighed. She was allowed to be wrong once in a while.

"It's of a city… and it's filled with treasure" he told her. She immediately looked up at his face in shock. She had read the book of El Dara to the cubs to get them to fall asleep, and saw that picture that Kit had shown her. It was their father.

"Sir, I think I know who you are. Your name is Marcus Wily, and you have a family that has been worried sick about you" she told him.

"Really? I… I'm sorry, I don't remember" he replied.

"Sometimes people with amnesia respond to being near familiar things. Do you recognize any of these faces?" she asked as she pulled up pictures of the cubs playing games in their bunk room, of their mother in her bed smiling, of the younger twins Sadie and Liam.

"No I… wait…" he said as he grabbed her gauntleted hand and pulled it towards him. He stared at the picture as she leaned in.

"Kit?" he whispered, his eyes moving around, small flashes of memories running their course through his mind.

"Kat? The… twister!" his voice suddenly became louder as he stood up quickly, startling the doctor.

"The… where? I'm… I'm in a hospital? Where exactly?" he asked.

"You're in Monkey City. Your family is-" Kalihara started to say.

"Just outside, on the rim of the plains, I remember! Oh, how long has it been? How long have I been here?" he asked as he took her by the shoulders.

"I don't know sir, you'd have to ask him" she pointed towards the orangutan.

"Hmmm, a long time I'm afraid. This is indeed good to see you remembering everything" the doctor said chuckling.

"I… I have to get back. The farm, it's ok? Oh Sasha…" he asked, worried about his family.

"I came here for medication for your wife. She's not doing too well. After you were picked up by the twister, she had to try and take care of the cubs by herself. She couldn't do it without help, and Kit and Kat both ran away from home to allow her to feed your younger children and their mother. The rest is kind of a long story, and I don't have much time to tell you it. Can you travel? Can he travel?" she said as she looked him in the eyes, and then at the orangutan she asked the same question.

"He is physically capable, that is true" the doctor told her.

"I need to see them. Oh thank you" Marcus hugged Kalihara close as he was happy to remember again.

"We should get going" she told him.

**[Ten Minutes Later]**

"This is faster than I expected!" Marcus yelled out as he held on for dear life to Kalihara's waist as she sped across the plains towards the farm.

"She's very sick. We got back yesterday and found them under attack by bandits" she told him over her shoulder.

"Oh gods… what happened?" he asked as he held onto his cap to keep it from flying away.

"I neutralized them. Sorry, there are corpses in your bushes" she told him.

"Better than skeletons in my closet" he replied.

"I'll burn them later away from the house" she told him.

"I think we can get the city to come pick them up instead… might be a reward for helping them get rid of bandits" he said over her shoulder.

"Hang on… what the…" Kalihara whispered as she saw in the distance moving vehicles. Multiple large gas using trucks rumbled across the plains with dogs and other animals whooping and hollering on top… all carrying weapons. They were heading towards the farm.

"Whiskers… heads up! We have to run interception! Hang on!" she yelled as she gunned the engine, rocketing the cycle across the long distance she needed to cross to reach the targets. She unlatched her rifle from her shoulder and aimed across the handlebars, firing multiple times as she reached the trucks. She knocked two dogs off the top as they tried to return fire, but she drove the cycle close to the flanks and dipped under the large trailer to the other side, with Marcus holding on for everything he was worth.

"Oh gods… please protect us… oh this isn't goooAAAAHHHH!" he prayed as he closed his eyes tightly shut as Kalihara drove the motorcycle like a professional. She brought the cycle up next to the cabin of the first truck and fired into the window; hitting the driver and making it turn quickly, rolling the truck as another rammed into it from behind. She shot forward and out of the way, slowed down and spun the back wheel around with the front brakes on to bring her rifle to bear on the pile up. The lioness aimed and fired, hitting the visible gas tank of one of the trucks turning them both into a fireball with the plasma round. Marcus watched in awe the ensuing flames as she turned the cycle back around and headed towards the farm.

Once they reached the small house and jumped off, Marcus barreled through the door and stood there blinking at the cubs sitting at the kitchen table. There was a long silence as they stared at each other.

"D…daddy?" Sadie said.

"My cubs! My angels!" he cried out as he dropped to his knees and the cubs leapt on him, hugging him with all their strength. Kalihara walked in behind to behold the scene. He was brought to tears as he hugged each one of them, as he looked over each of their faces.

"You've gotten bigger!" he said as he thumbed Liam's nose. He giggled as he stood up, throwing Sadie up in the air a few inches and letting her catch some air before coming down with him catching her gently.

"Where's your mother?" he asked as he put her down and looked at Kalihara.

"Upstairs. I have the medication" she said as she walked to the stove and started to boil some water. Marcus walked up the stairs and disappeared as the cubs followed him up, leaving Kalihara alone down below to make the tea. Kat stayed behind watching her, and as she turned around with a hot cup of tea, he stood in front of her.

"What's wrong?" she asked. He suddenly lunged and hugged her around the waist, almost crying.

"Thank you" he said into her suit. She rested her free hand on his head and stroked his hair back gently.

"You cubs deserve to have your father back. I was just lucky to find him there at the hospital" she said to him softly. He continued hugging her for a few more seconds before pulling away.

"Let's get this to your mother ok?" she asked. He nodded in agreement as they both walked upstairs, the cup of tea in her hand. They both reached the second floor to find Marcus holding Sasha's hand in the bed. She was smiling, though still weak. She was in tears as she held onto her husband's hand with all her might. Marcus was beaming at her.

"And there is our miracle worker" Sasha said as Kalihara came forward with the tea.

"Here, drink this. I'll have something ready to eat with the other medication" she told her softly. Marcus took the cup of tea and pressed it to her lips as she sat up, drinking some of it.

"Oh it's awful" Sasha grimaced.

"The doctor said you have to drink it" Kalihara told her. She surrendered to her husband's loving hands as she drank more of the brown fluid, though she didn't enjoy the flavor at all.

"You've lost weight" she told her husband jokingly.

"So have you" he replied with a grin on his face. They both laughed. Kalihara was jumped on by Sadie who wanted to be held. The lioness obliged the young cub.

"Auntie Kali?" Liam asked.

"Yes?" she asked. Sasha and Marcus both looked at him with amusement at calling her their aunt.

"I'm hungry" he said.

"Alright, let's fix that then" she said as she poked at his stomach gently. He giggled as she picked Sadie up and brought her along down the stairs as Liam followed.

"I don't know what would have happened if she wasn't around. I might have never seen you again" Sasha told him weakly.

"A miracle she is" he remarked.

**[Meanwhile]**

"Flank left!" Lion-o yelled as he broke towards the right, with Tygra going the opposite direction. Panthro was tied up with multiple bolas, and Cheetara was trying to fend off two fast attacking warriors. The last two were firing leather tipped arrows and crossbow bolts not intended to kill, but to wound or make one of them bleed. If that happened, they'd have to stop fighting and let the rest of the team continue in their stead while they watched and could do nothing.

"This isn't going so good!" Tygra yelled as he disappeared, only to have a volley of arrows fly in his direction and he had to break away quickly.

"Whiskers…" Lion-o cursed out.

"If we've got another plan, I'm open to it!" Tygra yelled as he back flipped away from another volley, getting further and further away. Cheetara took a strike to the side and grunted in pain.

"Heads up!" Bengali warned as he slammed his hammer into the ground, causing a small earthquake to arise and knock the archers off balance.

"I can keep this up all day! Get in there!" he yelled. Lion-o and Tygra acknowledged and charged, with Bengali continuing to send the waves towards the group. Cheetara fell off her feet with the other two warriors, who tried to crawl on top of her to draw first blood. Tygra and Lion-o both leapt at their ranged foes, knocking them completely to the ground and striking them across the face multiple times until they were unconscious. They then both went for the melee fighters, who Cheetara was fending off of her now. She back rolled after hitting one in the ribs with her staff and lifting another with the tip.

"No…" she whispered as she checked her shoulder. She wasn't bleeding, but her shoulder was sore and had some dark colored red dirt smeared on it. She was lucky. If someone bled, they were out of the tournament, and had to be replaced or they'd lose a member for the finals. Bengali ran towards the two warriors with Lion-o while Tygra pulled them together with his whip, trapping them. With a unified double strike from both of the Thunder Cats, the dog warriors were down.

"And the crowd goes wild! Ladies and Gentlemen, we have our last team heading to the finals! See you tomorrow folks for the big showdowns, and the grand prize!" the announcer said. Lion-o and his team walked out of the arena tired and hurt after they untied Panthro.

"Are you ok?" Tygra asked Cheetara as she held her shoulder.

"I'm fine, it's just sore, but I was worried I was bleeding. We all know what that means" she answered as he put his arm around her shoulder. She winced and pushed him off, and he looked confused as to what he did.

"That hurts, sorry" she told him as she cradled her arm. Lion-o held his side from the impact of the first dog soldier striking him with a mace. It should have easily crushed some of his ribs, but miraculously it didn't because of the added padding Bengali had placed in the chest piece. Regardless of how he thought of the white tiger, he made incredibly good improvements to armor. He was also fairly useful in the arena with the sledgehammer he had.

"We're almost out of coin for an inn" Lion-o told the team as he pushed around a few shillings in his hand.

"You can stay at my place. It isn't much, but it's a roof" Bengali offered.

"Uh, thank you" Lion-o answered. He wondered how all of them would fit into his home along with his father, and he didn't see his mother yet, so there would be seven people in his home.

"The attic isn't as full as you might think, and while it isn't an inn, it's dry and has some spare beds. My father makes a mean chicken stew as well" the white tiger explained as he walked, chuckling as they headed to the blacksmith's home.

"Better than heading back to the Feliner in the dark" Panthro replied.

"True enough" Tygra responded.

As they reached Bengali's home, his father was waiting for him at the door.

"Uh… hey dad. Business was good while I was fixing things at the tournament?" Bengali asked.

"Fixing? It was made aware that you joined that team behind you for the battles in the arena!" his father growled. Bengali couldn't meet his father's gaze as he looked angry.

"Look, they needed help, and you know how-" Bengali started to say.

"Your grandfather gave you that hammer to build, not destroy! It has been passed down from generation to generation, skipping me to give to you because he saw in you something great! I saw in you something great! This is not it! You are no warrior! You are a blacksmith! And if you kept at your studies, you'd be a very good one!" he snapped at his son and walked in. Bengali stood there, his head downcast and his eyes staring at the dirt.

"Fathers don't really see the dreams of their sons as the sons see them" Lion-o spoke up. Bengali looked up.

"Yeah. I just wish he'd realize I can't always stay here and make horseshoes or fix old belt buckles. If I could prove that I can fight as well as smith, then maybe he might realize after the battles are done, that I'd learn from them as well, and turn that into improved armor and weapons. I guess he's just stuck in his own ways…" Bengali explained to the young king.

"One day" Lion-o told him.

"Maybe. Come on, regardless of how he feels for me in the tournament, he won't turn you down if you need a roof" the white tiger apprentice told him. They all walked into the home, closing the door behind them.

**[Morning]**

Kalihara woke up early to find Marcus was wide awake and making some tea.

"Good morning" he said as he put a cup down on the table for her.

"Good morning. How is Sasha doing?" she asked.

"A very good change this morning. She stood up, though with some difficulty, and I had to help her move until she got her balance back. She's still a bit weak, but those herbs have done wonders for her overnight" he told her.

"I'm glad" she replied as she got up from her sleeping bag and sat at the table talking to him. They ate some of the dried food on the rack with some bread that she had picked up in the market before reaching the hospital. After, they both headed towards the door once they were ready for the day. Kit and Kat both came down the stairs at that moment.

"Where are you two going?" Kat asked as he rubbed the sleep away from his eyes.

"I'm going to work the fields. The farm won't grow itself. You, you don't have to come. You've already done so much for my family" Marcus told Kalihara.

"If it makes sure the cubs have something to eat, I have spare time. I'd suggest getting a chicken roost and a cow later" she replied. He thanked her as the cubs smiled at both of them. Their mother slowly made her way down the stairs behind them, holding onto the rail that the lioness had put in with remaining cut planks from the large fallen tree. She didn't know if Sasha would need it in the future.

"I'll hold the fort here while you're out there love" she said, her voice stronger but still sounding under the weather.

"Don't push yourself, I'll be back for lunch to help here until you're better" he told her. Sasha nodded with a small smile, as the look shared between them was almost as if they had fallen in love all over again.

"I'll make sure he sticks by his promise" Kalihara told her grinning. Sasha giggled and then broke into a small fit of coughing, with everyone looking at her.

"I'm sorry, don't worry about me. Coughing seems to be a new symptom now that I'm feeling much better" she said.

"Getting rid of the stuff clogged in your throat. Nothing new" the lioness told her.

"Can we help now? We're bigger than we were before dad" Kit and Kat both said as they put on their cutest kitten faces.

"You aren't much bigger, but maybe" he said as he looked at Kalihara.

"They've been an invaluable asset to the team" she commented. The cubs grinned from ear to ear.

"Well, I guess so" their father finally answered. The cubs cheered and got ready to help, running upstairs and getting changed and then shooting downstairs and eating quickly. Sasha giggled as she saw how eager they were to be with their father. They followed Kalihara and Marcus out to the fields, with him stopping in awe. The fields were perfect, with vegetables growing everywhere. Not a weed to be seen and the dirt looked to be recently fertilized.

"How? Sasha couldn't have done this…" he said as he looked around. The fence was even mended.

"As I said, I had some spare time" Kalihara told him as she continued on, putting her auto turret on the ground and plugging the hose back in.

"Does that run from the well? It's running low" he told her.

"I popped the cork at the bottom. It isn't anymore" she told him with a smile.

"Yeah, and she fixed the kitchen windows and door too!" Kat told him.

"You have been busy" Marcus said in astonishment. He got to work checking on the vegetables, with all of them being fully harvestable. Kalihara was impressed by their size already, as she hadn't put any of the hydroponic sludge on the field.

"Something special about this land" Kalihara said in confusion as she saw how large each vegetable had gotten almost overnight.

"That's why we settled here. Most thought we were crazy, but there's something… I don't know, magical, about this place" Marcus answered. The lioness didn't object.

"So Kit, Kat, have you told your parents about the stash of riches in your bag?" Kalihara asked as she activated her spider drone.

"Not yet. It's one of the reasons we came back" Kit replied as she looked up at her father.

"Riches? What?" he asked, completely confused.

"It's a long story, but… well, we didn't find El Dara, but we found the next best thing!" she said grinning. Kat said the magic word for their forever bag, and pulled out jewels in his hand.

"Where did those come from?" Marcus asked, the gems glinting in his eyes as he was fascinated by his children holding gems and jewelry in their hands.

"On our travels with the others, we got this bag that we think is attached to the astral plain. It has more riches than I think El Dara might have" Kit told him.

"Yeah, it was owned once by the King of Thieves, Mesclebar. Now, we have it" Kat explained as he put the jewels back.

"With this, we'll never go hungry ever, or want for anything!" Kit told him.

"My dear children… having that will only make us lazy. Hard work made us realize what family is all about, not the money. Without that money, we are still rich" their father said as he kneeled and put his hands on their shoulders.

"Yeah, you're right… but still, for emergencies?" they asked.

"Yes, for emergencies. But those emergencies don't have to come if we're prepared for them. That was why we made the shelter behind the house" he told them.

"Yes daddy" they both said. He smiled and stood up.

"Now, let's see what your aunt has planted" Marcus grinned. Kalihara had now become their unofficial aunt. A smile crept onto her face at the thought of it, hampered slightly by a memory crawling into her mind from her past as she looked away.

**[Meanwhile]**

"Ladies and gentlemen! Today we will start the final battles!... oh what's that? Ah! Ladies and gentlemen! We have a very special announcement! Due to votes from you, the beloved audience, we have found out that the finals will be turned into a battle royale! Four teams, fighting for the grand prize!" the announcer yelled out.

"What? That isn't normal" Bengali said as he looked through the portcullis and went back down the small hallway.

"Has that ever happened before?" Lion-o asked.

"Once, and it didn't end very well. The fight turned into a slugging match, seeing who could be the last ones standing after tuckering out the rest. It wasn't a fight, it was a battle of attrition, with the victor being the ones who had the most stamina" he told them.

"Alright, so all we have to do is make our strikes count" Panthro said.

"Which means Cheetara can't keep them occupied either way" Lion-o grimaced. Cheetara could only keep her top speed for a short period of time before she wore herself out, and when that happened, she fought at only half strength with somewhat sluggish strikes. If she pushed too hard, she could faint right on the spot, collapsing right in the middle of the battle. Tygra needed to be careful to use his invisibility only when the enemy looked in another direction, as he started to gain headaches from the concentration he had to put into each action to stay unseen. The only one that didn't seem to have a problem was Panthro, though they'd go after him first due to his size and strength. As much as Lion-o felt irked at the thought that he wasn't as important as his General, it was all for the team. He wasn't king of the arena. Add in the fact that Panthro was their heavy hitter against the Silver Breakers, and he had an important role to fill.

"Alright, how are we going to do this?" Bengali asked. He was all for a plan to stop three other teams from winning. He wanted his share of the winnings, but he also wanted his new found friends to be victorious.

"Ok… this is what we're going to do. It may seem cowardly, but it will keep our stamina up. At the beginning, we'll stay behind and let the others fight amongst themselves" Lion-o explained.

"What? We aren't going to get in the thick of it? What will the crowd think?" Tygra asked.

"The crowd doesn't mean anything if we get flattened Tygra. Remember, we need to play it safe. Keep everything under control. Once they've thinned themselves down, Cheetara will head in with you in a two prong attack to finish off the fatigued fighters. Bengali and I will go for anyone who comes for Panthro in a flanking maneuver. Panthro, just stay up and keep them occupied, you don't have to knock anyone out until later. Save your strength for the Silver Breakers" the young king told them.

"Sounds like a good plan" Panthro remarked, and the others nodded. Tygra grimaced, but nodded in agreement. He knew that Lion-o was looking out for everyone, not just himself. He had placed himself as a flanking soldier instead of having Panthro fend for himself. They needed to play it smart. The engine was only a few minutes away. They couldn't lose.

"All fighters to the arena!" A guard yelled down the hallways. Multiple other guards yelled, continuing the chain clear around the coliseum.

"Alright. Remember, the Silver Breakers wear very impressive armor. They have almost no weak spots, and their mobility isn't hampered due to their size. The first tactic I'd suggest once we fight them is to get their shields away from them, and then their main weapon. After that, they'll… well, they'll go ape on us" Bengali suggested.

"How will that help us? I've been smacked by those guys before. It didn't feel any different from their weapons. They're pretty strong" Lion-o asked.

"I know, but it will make them need to strike at us with their own bodies, not their equipment, which will tire them out. Regardless of armor or not, movement will strain them. Just keep mobile and look for openings. The openings need to be a double strike, preferably with two people. That's the only advice I can give" the white tiger told him. Lion-o nodded as they walked out into the arena. The crowd cheered for the teams as they entered, but the Silver Breakers weren't out just yet. As soon as they entered, the entire coliseum was roaring with applause, drowning out any other sound. It made the cheer they gave for Lion-o and his team look like a whisper.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have some very special guests in the finals today! Our very own! SILVER BREAKERS!" the announcer yelled, and the crowd was ecstatic. Each silverback walked out proudly, with their double headed maces and tower shields gleaming. Their armor was well taken care of, as not a plate was dull or dented, their straps were fitted perfectly, and they held their heads with nobility. These were the apes similar to a Thunder Cat. These were Silver Breakers. The horns sounded once, and the portcullises closed.

"Get ready" Lion-o warned as each member of his team got into a crouch. The second horn sounded, and the other teams rushed forward.

"Steady" Lion-o said.

"Oh, team Thunder Cats has decided to play it safe! They'll stay on their side of the arena!" The announcer said. The crowd booed and showed their frustration with the cowardly maneuver.

"Steady" Lion-o ordered as Tygra looked visibly annoyed.

"We'll win this with or without the crowd. Besides, we lost them to the Silver Breakers already remember?" the young king told his brother. Tygra sighed and nodded. He was right. Team War Hounds was smashed into the ground by the Silver Breaker's first charge, as the second team came at the Thunder Cats.

"Ok, just like we planned" Lion-o said. This team was entirely comprised of rabbits, and although they weren't as fast as Cheetara, their leap was incredible. They were twenty feet away when suddenly each of them became air born, coming down on the cats as they dodged out of the way.

"Thunder Cats! Ho!" Lion-o yelled as he blocked a duel sword strike from one rabbit warrior coming at him. He was fast, really fast with his attacks, as he wore almost no armor beyond some light banded mail and two katanas. Panthro was blocking multiple strikes from two different warriors as Bengali fought off another.

"Heads up! The Silver Breakers are coming this way!" Tygra yelled as Lion-o turned his head. The armored silverbacks were charging head on towards them, their shields ready to ram straight through the throng of men and women on the other side of the arena. It was a stampede.

"We have to finish this quick!" Bengali said.

"Or… Bengali! Tag team!" Lion-o yelled. Bengali blocked another attack and pushed the rabbit back; coming around behind Panthro and heading towards the rabbit that Lion-o was fighting. The warrior Bengali was originally tangling with jumped to try and intercept him, but Tygra had his whip around his legs midair, knocking him to the ground with a grunt. Cheetara shot to the remaining free rabbit, an archer she learned as she knocked her bow from her hands, taking it with her as she headed to Panthro and knocked one of the warrior's legs out from under him. It gave Panthro an opening to grab the second warrior and throw him.

"Almost…" Lion-o whispered as the Silver Breakers were nearly upon them. Bengali attacked the duel wielding rabbit as it came at Lion-o, as the king broke off and went for the archer coming up behind Tygra. When the duel wielding rabbit turned around, he got a hammer to the side from a white tiger blacksmith.

"Now! Break off!" Lion-o yelled as he blocked a small attack from the archer and back flipped. The Silver Breakers came in and smashed through the just getting up hare team, beating them into the ground.

"Go for their backs! Cheetara! Root their shields! Bengali! Ring their bell!" Lion-o yelled. Tygra grabbed at one trailing the back and pulled at his double mace, with Cheetara making her staff grow roots. The roots pulled at the tower shield of the Silver Breaker, and he pulled back, nearly throwing Cheetara as she held on for dear life, sliding along the dirt. Bengali came up behind him.

"Lights out!" he yelled as he struck at his helmet. A loud GONG! was heard throughout the arena as the ape grabbed at its helmet while it rang, dropping to the floor in pain and misery.

"One down!" Lion-o yelled. The Silver Breakers had made short work of the rabbits and had now turned their attention to the Thunder Cats.

"Four against five, but their bigger" Bengali said.

"The bigger they are…" Lion-o whispered.

"The harder they fall!" Panthro growled as he blocked a mace strike and parried with his nunchaku. The silverback knocked him aside with his shield, and came back around with a snarl.

"Panthro!" Lion-o yelled. The king charged as he tried to intercept, slow him down, anything. Just as he was about to collide with the silverback, another ape rammed into him, his shield bashing into his side and sending him flying. These weren't soldiers. They were living battering rams. Fast moving battering rams. Lion-o rolled to a stop, hurt and wincing from the pain. He slowly got up to see them slam Panthro into the wall. He was knocked unconscious.

"Four against four" Bengali grimaced. Cheetara bolted over to help Lion-o up.

"Alright… so it's even…" Lion-o whispered.

"I've got an idea, it isn't the best idea, but it's an idea" Tygra said.

"I'm up for anything Tygra" Lion-o told him.

"Cover me. Bengali, do what you did last fight" Tygra said.

"No plan B like plan A, but I'm up for anything" Bengali smirked.

**[Music: Manafest – No Plan B]**

"Go!" Tygra yelled as the other Thunder Cats charged, with Bengali striking the ground to throw the silverback's balance off. Tygra dodged just barely a mace to the head as he slid through the silverback's legs, and jumped, flipping over the next… and grabbing his helmet. He pulled with all his strength, and dislodged it from his armor as Bengali came up from the side and struck, with Tygra shooting out his whip and pulling another's leg. The silverback fell forward, with Cheetara waiting. She slammed her staff into his face, making him wince in pain. Just as another silverback came up behind her, she rolled sideways and let his attack come crashing down, finishing his teammate. Before Cheetara could regain her balance from her roll, however, a shield struck her from behind, throwing her off kilter and making her flop on the floor. As she slowly got up, the silverback backhanded her with his shield, knocking her to the ground… and cutting her arm for real this time.

"No!" Tygra yelled. She was out of the fight.

"Three down in one maneuver! Incredible folks!" The announcer yelled. The crowd was ecstatic as the Thunder Cats had one more to take down versus three of them.

"He can't take us all down. Bengali, your hammer will finish this. Go for the head, we'll go for the legs" Lion-o told him. Bengali agreed. Tygra and Lion-o both charged, pulling flanking maneuvers as they rolled under the mace. Lion-o came face to face with the shield coming down in a defensive block, the tip slammed into the ground and keeping him from moving forward.

"Tygra, break off!" Lion-o yelled as his brother rolled away. Bengali came around from behind and got ready. The silverback attacked Lion-o, as he blocked it with his sword. He was pushed back a good five feet from the strength of the strike, with his claws digging into the dirt the entire time. His feet hurt from the move, as the silverback continued with its strike.

"Tygra!" Lion-o yelled as Tygra shot his whip out and grabbed his mace. The silverback tried to bring his shield around to slam into Tygra, but Lion-o slammed his sword into the elbow armor. It didn't break it, but it stopped the movement by wedging the blade into the chink. The shield was a mere inch away from Tygra's nose, and kept moving back and forth poking him instead of hitting him as he winced at the supposed oncoming pain that never happened. Tygra sneezed from the effort, like an owner toying with a pet's nose.

"You're not the only one who can throw monkey wrenches" Lion-o grinned. The silverback roared as Bengali came down on his shoulders, with his hammer crashing into his helmet.

"It's hammer time!" Bengali said grinning as the silverback slumped forward with the white tiger sliding off and standing with his hammer over his shoulder. Lion-o walked forward as Cheetara got up and helped Panthro wake up. The crowd was silent for a moment before they erupted in applause.

"And there you have it folks! The winners of this year's tournament! The Thunder Cats!" the announcer said. Lion-o was exhausted from the fight. He dropped to his knees as he panted, with the others following suit in one form or another. Bengali was the only one who was just breathing hard due to his training swinging a hammer.

"We could have lost that one" Tygra said while panting.

"Yeah, I know" Lion-o replied as they both got up. The team walked back through the portcullis to rest as the remaining teams were woken up from the beating they received.

**[Meanwhile]**

"Hey, what's that over there?" Marcus asked. Kalihara stood up from picking one of the vegetables and wiped the sweat from her brow. She peered into the distance and dropped her goggles over her eyes.

"Get the cubs to the house now!" she ordered. Her voice was dead serious. Bandits were coming, and many of them.

"Go! Now!" she yelled as Kit and Kat both dropped their vegetables. Marcus put his hands on their shoulders and ran as Kalihara did the same. They got into the house as the lioness grabbed her rifle and pulled her drones in.

"Stay inside!" she commanded as she slammed the door closed. The Wily family went to the top floor, watching as Kalihara ran towards a small hillock near the road and set up with her rifle. She immediately pulled her hood over her head and her mask engaged. She disappeared after that.

"Whoa" Marcus said in astonishment as the bandits stopped their beat up trucks and got off of them.

"Well, I guess this place has been giving us more trouble than I expected. Who's been screwing with my boys?" The leader said as he came forward. He was a pig, with a potbelly and liver spots all over. He wore a cowboy hat and boots with bandoliers all over his chest. He stepped into the field and stomped on unpicked vegetables, mashing a few under his hooves.

"So you're the leader?" Kalihara's voice echoed through the area.

"Oh ho! A girl! Well now little missy, how about you just come out now and save us all the trouble of finding you" the pig chuckled out.

"So those men, they follow you?" she asked again.

"Of course! Why, without me, this little gang wouldn't have gotten off the ground! You see, I want this property. I want it now. And you, you're stopping me from having it. That's a problem" he answered, gesturing his hands around at the men nearby. There was silence for a few seconds as Kalihara thought. A loud CRACK! was heard, and a round punctured clean through his forehead.

"Problem solved" she responded. The rest of the gang members looked around, wondering where the shot had come from.

"Unless you wish to follow suit, I'd suggest disbanding and getting the heck out of here… and never coming back again" the lioness's voice came out loud and clear. No one knew where she was now, and with her skills she could easily take out the whole gang by herself. They were in open terrain, the same terrain she had to travel to stop the first four when they had traveled here.

The gang members ran towards the trucks and got inside, flipping them around and heading off away from the farm.

"She did it!" Kat cheered as the others smiled. Kalihara was nowhere to be seen until the trucks were long gone, dots in the distance. She de-cloaked and got up, walking to the door and opening it. Kit and Kat both hugged her as she latched her rifle to her back.

"Thank you for watching out for us" Sasha said as she beamed at the lioness.

"Glad I could help ma'am" she replied as she had her hands on the cub's shoulders. The cubs let go of her and she went back outside to remove the body from the fields. It was high noon outside, and as Kalihara came back to the house, she noticed the Wilys sitting at the table.

"How are you feeling?" Kalihara asked Sasha.

"Better. With my husband here again and my babies coming home, I'll be even better tomorrow" she said.

"I'm glad. Sadly, I think my time is up here. I should get back to the others" Kalihara told them.

"No! You can't leave!" Sadie whimpered as Marcus calmed her down.

"I have to, I'm sorry Sadie" she cooed to the cub.

"Um, Kalihara… we're… we're not going" Kit told her. The lioness gave the cubs an understanding nod.

"I figured as much. This is your home, your family. You should stay here" she replied.

"We're… we're gonna miss you."

"I'll miss you too. Won't be the same without you two giving Lion-o a run for his money around the Feliner" she chuckled. Both cubs got up as she put her pack on her shoulders and hugged her tightly. She reciprocated the hug.

"Lion-o is probably done with the tournament by now knowing him and the others. Time to go" she whispered to them softly as tears welled up in their eyes. She picked up her auto turret and spider drone and pushed them into her backpack, her scout drone clipped to her belt as she swung her leg over the side of the motorcycle and started it up. The Wilys waved at her as both Kit and Kat watched her wheel it forward a bit.

"Come back and visit. Please, you're always welcome" Marcus told her.

"I'll try. Stay safe you two" Kalihara replied as she looked at Kit and Kat. They looked down at the forever bag and pulled out the robotic rabbits. As the lioness started to head towards the city, Kit yelled out.

"Wait!" she screamed. The soldier slowed down and stopped, looking over her shoulder.

"Mom, Dad. We have to go with her. They need us" Kit told them.

"Yeah, they'd be lost without us" Kat agreed with his sister.

"Lost?" Kalihara whispered to herself with a small smirk on her face. She still remembered the mole city.

"We've got to go with her. We're old enough to help, and we've been doing it for some time. Please, dad, mom" Kit pleaded with their parents. They both looked at each other.

"I guess you aren't so young anymore. Just… please be careful. I don't know what I'd do if my babies were hurt" Sasha said.

"Thank you!" Kat hugged his father and mother, as Kit did the same. They ran inside.

"ROKENBASS!" was heard, and a small pile of treasure formed on the second floor. They both bolted out of the house towards Kalihara who flipped around and came to them.

"Are you two sure?" she asked.

"Yeah, we're definitely sure" Kat told her.

"How do we… um…" Kit started to ask as she looked at the motorcycle. A small box flipped out from the right wheel and turned into a small side cart.

"Hop on" Kalihara said quietly with a smile on her face. Kit climbed on and held onto her waist while Kat jumped into the side cart. There just happened to be two skull helmets for them to wear as well.

"Kalihara!" Sasha yelled out. She looked over her shoulder.

"Please, take care of them" she yelled out.

"Like they were my own" the lioness replied. Sasha smiled as the soldier nodded and revved the engine.

"Alright, ready?" she asked.

"Yeah, let's get back" Kat answered as she gunned the motorcycle and shot towards the city. Their family was safe, their home was well to do with money saved, and the fields were again growing and prosperous. They had a home to come back to.

**[Twenty Minutes Later]**

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE DIDN'T WIN AN ENGINE?" Lion-o yelled with Tygra in unison as an old ape sat in front of a desk.

"I'm sorry, but the grand prize for last year was donated. This year's grand prize was farmland to the north, complete with a house" the old ape answered.

"So where was the engine donated?" Panthro asked with a bandage around his head.

"It never made it. The convoy was ambushed and taken by a band of men and women that had lost the last tournament due to them being disqualified from the finals" the ape told them.

"Wait, so, the team that had disobeyed the rules… the ones who killed the other team… they have it?" Tygra asked.

"Precisely. They're out in the mountains somewhere, still cheating at so called "fair games" with foolhardy adventurers with hot heads. I'd stay away from them if I were you" the ape told them.

"Great, no engine… and three days wasted" Tygra grumbled. They walked out of the room and into the street outside.

"Well, my father can still give you some of the materials you need to try and… well… make one…" Bengali said, trying to cheer them up.

"It'll take two weeks to build one, and even then we'd need to find all the materials, not just a few. We could be stuck here for a while if we don't go off and find that group" Lion-o explained.

"Ah… well, I guess we should get going then to search" Bengali told them.

"What? Look, Bengali, we're grateful for the help in the tournament and all, but you'll be leaving your home and-" Lion-o tried to explain.

"I still have a stake in that engine remember? You made a deal with me, and I am going to keep it. Part of it is mine, so I'm coming with you. Besides, my father always told me to try and learn to keep up with the future to become a better blacksmith. Maybe I could learn some engineering alongside" he interjected quickly.

"Well, alright. Welcome aboard. We still need to find where that group is. They could be anywhere in the mountains" Lion-o told him.

"Who could be anywhere?" Kat asked as the team turned around. There, sitting on the motorcycle, was the cubs and Kalihara. They just happened to bump into each other.

"Uh, there was no engine as a grand prize, but we have a lead on a group in the mountains that might have stolen one and are hiding out" the young king explained as he scratched his nose.

"Hmm… I can pull up an orbital scan if you want" Kalihara offered.

"What? Uh, yeah, that might make it easier" Lion-o chuckled out. She pressed a few buttons on her gauntlet and sat still for a minute, reading the information scrolling across her goggles.

"Found a camp. Could be them" she told him.

"Alright, we'd better get going then. Um, you guys went to see family?" Bengali asked. Kit and Kat looked at each other.

"Yeah, it was a lot of fun visiting. We're back though" Kit said giggling.

"Yeah. The Wilys are ready for action! Isn't that right aunt Kali?" Kat said as he looked up at the lioness.

"Heh… sure" she replied with a small smirk on her lips and a raised eyebrow. The other Thunder Cats were a little confused, but smiled along with the cubs as the younger members laughed at the inside joke.

_**To Be Continued…**_

(Author's Note: I read Simion's words in James Earl Jones's voice and Keone Young for the orangutan doctor. I don't know why, they just fit so well for the characters. On another note… 25 THOUSAND WORDS! And a to be continued… couldn't fit the whole thing into one chapter/episode, and I figure it's better as a two parter, even if it has a different name for the episode. Bengali has entered the game now! Yay!)


	4. Team Trials

**Episode 30: Team Trials**

The trip back through the path to the Feliner was uneventful as the bandits had oddly enough decided to disband for a time, fearful of the wrath of some apparition coming after them. Lion-o and the other teenagers continued to walk along while Kalihara drove the cubs to the Feliner to gather supplies.

"Why does she have that anyways?" Tygra asked, annoyed that he had to continue walking while the lioness had a set of wheels.

"Let me guess, jealous that she can move faster than you, while sitting down, and not straining herself?" Lion-o asked with a catty grin. Just because Tygra tended to make little quips at him once in a while didn't mean he couldn't return the favor at opportune times.

"I'm asking because where is she going to store it once we're up in the air? It'll take up the whole back of the cargo bay! We'll have to wheel it out every time just to leave the Feliner!" Tygra replied with a rather frustrated tone.

"We have a vehicle bay you know" Panthro said nonchalantly as he continued down the ridge and past some shrubs.

"We do?" Lion-o asked, with Tygra asking the same thing with a questioning look on his face.

"Yes, though it's not a very easy to enter door. The hatch to the left? It doesn't just go to the power systems or sensors. The crawl space allows for everyone to reach the rather small vehicle carriage. Don't think we can store any supplies in there either, because we can't. The rack that contains anything would shred any bags, and we can only fit that cycle and maybe a four seater" the big General explained.

"I didn't think we had one of those" Lion-o commented as he scratched his nose, looking off into the sky for a second with the thought flowing through his mind.

"How else do you offset the weight on the right with our bedrooms and the kitchen? Balance Lion-o. The Berbils thought ahead. I don't know why they made the hatch so small though…" Panthro grumbled out. He rubbed the small of his back as he remembered his first time trying to make it through. He nearly got stuck. Cheetara had to help him as he sucked in his breath as she pulled him out. Luckily he had his toolbox to try and open the hatch further. He'd made a mental note to expand the opening beyond three feet by three feet.

The small group of Thunder Cats continued down the path heading towards the Feliner, just as Kalihara drove back up with the cubs… and a few bags.

"Lunch is served" Kit told them with a giggle.

"Great. After that tournament, I'll eat anything" Bengali said as they sat down at the bottom of the path and ate what was brought to them. Kalihara sat on a small rock, with the cubs leaning against it. Each member of the team was given a lunch box.

"Blegh… veggies again?" Kat said in disgust as he picked around at the small package he had. Their food consisted of some grilled chicken with light salt and seasoning, with root vegetables steamed. The cubs were not especially keen on eating their greens.

"Eat up, they're good for you" Kalihara remarked as Kit pushed hers around.

"But we ate some already…" Kit mumbled.

"Two days ago. That means you skipped a day. You need to eat them every day for the vitamins and minerals your body needs" the lioness retorted back. The cubs shared a small look to each other across Kalihara's lap as behind her back they whispered to the forever bag. Both of their hands slipped in and grabbed some candy fruit. Just as they were about to bite into their delicious treats, the lioness snatched them out of their claws as fast as lightning.

"You can have dessert after you eat your vegetables" she told them as she picked up the bag hidden behind her and pushed it into her backpack.

"What? Come on Kali, we don't like them!" Kat whined.

"Not happening. I don't want to hear it. Eat them" she ordered, nodding at the metal box as she finished her own food.

"Heck if they don't want them, I'll finish them off" Bengali said with a grin.

"See? He'll take them! That means they don't go to waste" Kit pointed at the big white tiger.

"I promised your mother that I'd look after you both. That means making sure you two stay healthy. Bengali, you will do nothing of the sort. You two eat those vegetables or they'll be waiting for you in the next meal, without the meat" she said, her voice still staying calm despite them arguing with her. Bengali was silent for a moment.

"Could I at least have the candy fruit?" he asked, a small thought pushing into his mind. Kalihara had the same idea.

"I'd like one as well, if you wouldn't mind sharing" Cheetara asked. Tygra and Lion-o both agreed with the request for dessert.

"What? No! Those are… ours…" Kat said as he shared a glance with his sister. They both sat down and gobbled up their carrots and yams before putting their hands out for their just reward.

"See? They aren't that bad. Here." Kalihara placed the candy fruit into the kitten's palms, with their hands shooting to their mouths instantly and chewing into the sweet inner flesh of the dessert.

"I guess they deserve it. Still… are there any more?" Bengali asked. Kalihara dug into the forever bag after she spoke the magic word, and pulled out another three. Panthro wouldn't touch the stuff, and neither would she.

"How many of these do you have hidden in that?" Bengali asked.

"You don't want to know" Kalihara grumbled. She had found cores and seeds everywhere while staying at the Wily home, as she was constantly sweeping. Despite the kittens being cute and adorable and helping with some chores, they were messy and left trash everywhere. It was not healthy, for them or their mother who was still recuperating.

Bengali shrugged as he bit into the candy fruit, and Cheetara slowly nibbled at hers alongside Tygra. Lion-o tried to pull his apart, as he didn't like the feel of the seeds in his mouth. He was still used to having a maid or waiter cut the fruit for him during meal time, as he fumbled with the dessert.

"Here" Kalihara said as she motioned for him to hand the fruit over. He slowly complied, as she pulled her knife and cut it in half easily, and then into smaller pieces. The lioness seemed to be an expert at removing the core as well as the seeds, with what seemed like previous experience.

"Thank you" he said softly, his eyes watching her hands put the cut up pieces into his lunch box.

"Welcome" she replied.

"You know, how many times have we had to actually sit around and have a decent lunch for the past few months?" Cheetara asked.

"Almost never. It's always running out of supplies or some such problem arising that stops us from getting a chance to relax for a moment" Tygra replied to his mate. Lion-o agreed. The times to stop and smell the roses were few and far between. It was a luxury they never really had nowadays.

"So, I had a question. Your ship is supposed to be advanced right? So… why didn't it just dodge or shoot the missile out of the air before it connected and took out your engine?" Bengali asked. Kalihara blinked as she waited for a response from Panthro.

"There aren't any countermeasures alright! We don't have any" he snapped, chewing on his yams.

"Why not?" Lion-o asked. He was curious as well about not having defensive equipment installed in the ship. Next time they wouldn't be so lucky.

"The frame was scrapped when we found it. It's obvious that those mechs would have taken anything of value for other uses, and that means chaff launchers, flare dispensers and Electronic Counter Measures. We're lucky we found the ship in enough of a functioning order to repair it and get it flying." The old General was annoyed that he had to explain everything about the technology the younger generation around him took for granted now that they had it.

"Could you make any of those Kalihara?" Lion-o asked.

"Wait, she's a blacksmith as well? Oh, definitely a woman after my heart" Bengali teased. Kalihara glared at Bengali, and then her gaze softened as she brought her eyes upon Lion-o.

"While I could have my gauntlet produce a flare dispenser, the blueprints I have would be for a much smaller compact design, mainly for infantry or a drone. You'd have to attach racks of them to defend against any explosives. You also would have to address time to dredge up the materials for the defense systems. Each one takes roughly an hour to complete. Multiply that by ten or twenty per rack, and we would be grounded for some time" she explained to him. He looked away from her as he felt a bit dumb for requesting the production of something he had no knowledge about.

"Let me be your labor then Kali, I could always make the basic tubing and mounting brackets" Bengali spoke up. Lion-o gritted his teeth at the idea that he'd work closely with her to upgrade the Feliner. He wanted to speak up and offer his own help, but he realized he had nothing to contribute to the improvements.

"I could have the nanites go over the original pieces you produce and refurbish them to the required specifications. That would be appreciated" she responded. Bengali smiled at her. Lion-o wasn't happy about that.

"Is everyone ready?" Lion-o asked. They cleaned up and placed their metal containers back into the small bag that was attached to the back of the motorcycle. Once everyone was back up, they continued towards the Feliner for another half a mile before turning left and heading up another mountainside. Kalihara parked the motorcycle off the path and followed everyone.

"So all we have to do is get this engine, install it, and we're out of here" Tygra stated.

"That's the plan" Lion-o answered from the front as Kalihara watched their right flank.

"And these guys cheat or try and pull these mini tournaments? Considering we just took out the Silver Breakers, they should be a walk in the park-" Tygra started to say just as Kalihara bolted forward and yanked Lion-o backward by the collar of his armor.

"What the-" Lion-o yelped as he fell on his butt.

"What's the big idea?" he asked her as she knelt near the boulders he was going between. She was looking at something, and as her gloved fingers moved towards it and touched it, his eyes focused. It was a line, attached to something behind each boulder.

"Tripwire… no… trip bar… glass… very smart…" she seemed to whisper to herself as she touched lightly at the air above and below it. No other bars were found beyond the first.

"A booby trap?" Lion-o asked.

"Affirmative. Everybody get back" she warned. The group fell back, continuing to go down the path as Kalihara kept telling them they were still too close. By the time she felt they were at a safe distance, they had traveled back down a good fifty feet.

"So what now? Can't we just step over it?" Tygra asked.

"Usually there is a counter trap as back up for tripwires" she told him.

"Like what?" Tygra asked, really wanting to know what they might have placed.

"I'm not an expert on the tools you would use on this planet, but on Thundera it could be anything from a motion sensor mine to a pressure plate weapon ignition, or a bear trap. Here, I don't know, but I wouldn't put it by them to have one. The choices are limitless to the imagination" she said as she raised her rifle, aimed, and fired. Her round flew true as it broke the bar, sending the remainder disappearing in both directions behind the boulders. Multiple spiked bars erupted from both in front and behind on the path, pinning whoever would be unlucky to walk upon it. The ground in the middle shot a flamethrower straight up.

"Ouch" Panthro remarked as they walked up the path again and circled around the boulders.

"You still know where the camp is? They haven't moved right?" Lion-o asked.

"They're there" she replied.

"You sure it isn't a decoy camp? With the traps they've put around, that place could just be filled with explosives" Tygra told her as he walked behind the lioness.

"There was movement there twenty minutes ago, and infrared signatures of humanoid creatures inside the tents. I know what I'm doing Tygra" Kalihara said calmly over her shoulder. She stopped them again and motioned for them to move carefully across the ground. There were hidden spike traps below cloth that she noticed immediately, and as they continued to the top quietly, she stopped everyone in their tracks while she went ahead of the group and disabled a small minefield. Lion-o couldn't figure out if he should be amazed at her skills, fearful that she took it upon herself to disable the traps, or feel sadness that she had to do this on an almost daily basis in her as yet unknown past.

"Contact" she whispered as they reached the camp. The people there weren't ready for a group to make it to the camp so effortlessly, as a tiger walked out and eyed each of the Thunder Cats.

"Ah… uh… welcome!... you have passed the first challenge!" the tiger said as he glanced at the others coming out of their tents.

"Challenge?" Lion-o asked.

"Looked more like you were trying to kill anyone who wanted their stuff back" Tygra growled.

"Now now, I don't know what you have heard about us from the locals, but we here test adventurers like yourself! Many have proven their worth and have made fortunes because of it! Would you test your skills against ours? A friendly wager?" the tiger asked.

"We don't even know who you are. Names would be nice" Panthro commented in his deep gravelly voice.

"Ah yes, introductions are clearly needed. Um, they do go both ways I'm afraid. My name is Rajah, leader of our fine band. This fine strong man here is Rocko" he said as he gave a deep bow, as well as gesturing towards a large rhino coming nearby.

"This here is Axel, Kitsune, and Sophie" he finished, pointing to three other members of his team. Axel was a chameleon, with very beady eyes. One of them looked to be pure red with a black dot in the middle, and had an assortment of grenades, mines, and other explosives. Kitsune was a vixen that seemed to be covered in knives and blades. Sophie was a white rabbit, with her ears pulled behind her head similar to a ponytail. Despite her being a rabbit, she was quite pleasing to the eye for Lion-o, though his heart still beat for the lioness nearby. All Sophie carried was a whip and multiple bolos.

"My name is Lion-o, Lord of the Thunder Cats." Lion-o introduced himself as well as the others. The others all said their hellos, including Rajah's team. Sophie had a rather quiet voice, though she seemed by no means shy. Kalihara was the only one who didn't speak, at all. She was studying everything. She knew she was right in the middle of hostile territory until proven otherwise.

"Ah, now that introductions are well and done, you might tell us what you are here for yes? Surely it is to test your fine skills in a show of sportsmanship? We are well known for proving those who are heroes in this world and those who are not. We have traveled far from around the planet to come together and help those who are worthy scribe their names into history, legends in themselves" Rajah told Lion-o. Lion-o didn't seem interested.

"We're here for an engine, one that we are sure that you have. We're not here to start a fight for it, but we need it" Lion-o explained.

"What do you mean we aren't here to start a fight? They killed and stole for that thing" Tygra whispered through clenched teeth behind his brother.

"Ah, that. Yes, we still have it. I wonder, however; would this mean that you have a ship to install it into? Or are you just one of those very lucky groups of blacksmiths or engineers who know how to make it through our security?" Rajah asked.

"And if we did have one? Why would you care?" Lion-o asked.

"Well, it is interesting because, you see, we cannot just give you the engine. You would have to earn it, as all noble heroes would. Surely a King must understand that a piece of technology as advanced as that could fall into the wrong hands now yes?" Rajah explained.

"I'm listening."

"Good good; now, if we were to put up the engine as a reward, what would you give up? The ship? You would not need it anymore if you did not win one piece of equipment that would allow it to fly no?" the tiger asked, flashing a friendly smile.

"We need that engine Rajah. We don't want a challenge, and I'm willing to pay for it. How much?" Lion-o asked. He had won a sizeable amount from the tournament. They all did. Each team member had gained a fairly large sum of platinum pieces.

"Ah, my friend, but you see, we do. We have no want for money. It is mere metal that changes easily from one hand to another. We have much of that from other sources. We simply wish to have something, someone, test our own abilities. How else can we continue to do our duty to prove adventurers such as yourself, are capable of being the heroes needed to save the day?" he asked.

"We're on a mission Rajah! We don't have time for this!" Lion-o growled.

"Ah, such temper. If you are unwilling to talk peacefully, perhaps I was wrong and you only wish to barbarize and fight to get what you want. Let it be known however, that our stash is not nearby, and well hidden. It would take you months to find it. Also, we will not give it up so easily, as we are more than capable fighters as you can see" Rajah told him, a rifle near his feet. He flashed another smile, his fangs glinting.

"Lion-o, it'd be easier to just do the test" Kit said.

"You should listen to the cub. She knows what she is talking about. We have no want to fight you. Brawling is for the lower caste. We are both gentlemen yes? Here, as a show of good will, sit with us for a moment. Rest, the path is long and wears on your legs. Come come" Rajah said as he walked to Lion-o and patted him on the shoulder, motioning for him to sit down near their campfire. The others slowly followed as they sat down, with Kalihara staying near the path end. She wouldn't go near the others, and always kept watch on Rajah's group. Not once did she pull out her rifle or drones, and kept every ounce of her equipment well hidden. She didn't want to tip her hand in any way to lower technology tiered inhabitants. What she did see, however, was Rajah's rifle was a lizard pulse rifle, and well taken care of.

"So, will you accept our challenge? One on one, two men going through the same challenge, with no fighting amongst ourselves? Simple trials. You have many members against my five, which would give you an advantage" Rajah asked. Lion-o thought for a moment. He needed that engine.

"Alright. I need to know the ground rules first before anything happens though, and if we don't like the rules, then this is forefeit" he told Rajah.

"Wonderful! The rules are this. Each challenge is one on one. You cannot attack each other except when the challenge explicitly has the rule placed for it, and even so, you are not allowed to land a killing blow, simply knock the opposing team member away to finish the challenge before them." Lion-o was about to yell at him, as he knew he had killed an opposing team during the tournament, but he had to keep his mouth shut to get the engine.

"What are the challenges?" the young king asked.

"Very simple. So easy. The first challenge will be a test of speed. My fastest against yours. The challenge will be to reach the top of this mountain here from below, down a different path. The first to reach it will win that round. You must win three rounds out of five. Is this satisfactory?" Rajah asked. Lion-o thought he was joking.

"That should be easy" Lion-o said with a small smile.

"Good good, then this should be no problem at all for you. Oh, one other thing. We use this gem here to create a sort of separate reality in the area, to protect the group from any outside interference. You can never be too careful with bandits out roaming for our blood" Rajah said.

"Hey now just a-" Lion-o started to speak.

"I assure you, we do not use it to change how anyone would win. It is simply a way to protect both parties. Fair?" he asked. Lion-o looked at the others.

"I guess if it doesn't do anything other than push us into the astral plane…" Tygra said. They had both been there already. They knew what to expect.

"Alright. Let's do this" Lion-o agreed. He shook hands with the older tiger, who motioned for Sophie to come forth. She nodded at Lion-o. Had he not met Kalihara before, he might have been in a daze.

"Who will be your contender?" he asked. Lion-o let out a small chuckle.

"Cheetara" he answered, and the cheetah walked forward.

"Ah, I can see this will be hard for Sophie. Still, a deal has been made. Let us make our way down to the start yes?"

Lion-o nodded, and both groups walked down a different path, heading down another direction from the camp. They reached the bottom quickly, with Rajah placing a stick on the ground that both women couldn't cross until Kit had dropped a flag. The path had been in a zig-zag, going back and forth along the side of the mountain heading back up to the camp. Kalihara stayed behind everyone as she fiddled with her gauntlet for a moment, and then finally breaking her attention away and observing the trial.

"Let me use the gem now" Rajah told them, and pulled from his pocket a small multi-colored jewel that seemed to swirl the pigments around in a circle.

"Reality is an Illusion" he said. The sky darkened to an odd color, but beyond that nothing happened.

"There, we are in the alternate plane created. Get ready" Rajah told them.

"Are we sure that thing won't be used to cheat?" Tygra asked.

"Don't know, but we'll keep an eye on Rajah just to be sure" Lion-o responded.

"My friends! Please! Here, I will prove we cannot cheat with it! I will put it on this boulder right here, so none of us are touching it!" the tiger placed the fine gem on top of the large chipped rock and backed away, standing near Lion-o and trying to give him a reassuring grin. His hands were held palm out, a visual cue that he meant no harm.

"Alright. On three" Kit said. Cheetara braced herself against the ground, ready to fly. Sophie did the same, with her dainty rabbit feet ready to shoot her to the moon if she needed them to. Lion-o had seen how high hares could jump during the tournament, and wondered just what it could do to give Sophie an edge during the race.

"One, two… three!" Kit yelled as she dropped the flag. Cheetara was pure light, shooting across the ground and heading towards the path that led to the mountain top. Sophie was running as well, but just as she reached the halfway point up the ramp, Cheetara was well ahead of her. Sophie, however, had incredible jumping capability. She launched herself up and was right next to Cheetara as she made her way to the next spot to jump. It made it far easier to keep up with the blonde.

"How the heck…" Tygra watched as Cheetara ran as fast as she could, sliding at the last second or drifting at other spots, trying to win against Sophie.

"Hmm, that's odd… the gem is glowing strangely…" Rajah said, his face racked with concern.

"What?" Lion-o said as he looked at the gem. It suddenly pulsed once, and the sky started to change. It at first started to rain, with water pouring down onto the mountain, but then the rain turned into hail, and suddenly changed to boulders.

"That's cheating!" Lion-o growled as he watched Cheetara dodge the large rocks slamming into the ground ahead of her.

"We have done nothing to cause this Lion-o! The gem, it sometimes has a mind of its own, trust me when I say this. Still, look, once the challenge is over, this will all stop. No more flying rocks. Your cheetah is still moving, and dodging. Sophie is doing the same. She is in the same boat as your friend" Rajah explained. He was right. Sophie was dodging the boulders as they came as well, but Cheetara was being hampered far more because of the fact she couldn't jump nearly as high as the white rabbit.

"Look out!" Lion-o yelled as Cheetara slid and dodged another rock, slamming her shoulder into it. She yelped in pain, but pushed herself through it to continue the race.

"Dodge right cheetah!" Rajah yelled, trying to show that he did not wish others to be harmed in his challenge. She did so, and made her way around another boulder. Sophie leapt onto one rock and jumped to another, using it as a make shift ladder heading straight up. She was like a ninja, light on her feet and jumping twenty feet in the air.

"Cheetara! Look out!" Tygra screamed. Cheetara slid to a grinding halt as a boulder fell right in front of her, as well as another to her side. Another happened to fall behind her, trapping her entirely.

"Not my fault. I guess she cannot continue" Rajah said. Cheetara climbed over the boulder in front of her, slipping and falling to the ramp into a puddle of mud just as Sophie made it to the top.

"That wasn't fair, she was trapped!" Lion-o yelled at Rajah.

"Your majesty, both of them were in the same situation. Sophie was slower than your cheetah, and had rocks flying at her just as much as she had. It was fair" Rajah reasoned. The gem pulsed again, and the sky went back to the normal blue with white puffy clouds. The boulders disappeared, with Cheetara standing up, embarrassed at what had transpired. She had been beaten.

"Rematch then. The next time won't have that happen" Lion-o commanded.

"Ah, sadly my friend, it can happen. The gem, it remembers. It will know who was in the challenge, and do the same thing as it did before. Unless your friend can run through rock, I don't think it will turn into anything different" Rajah said with a sad look on his face. Lion-o watched Cheetara walk back down the ramp, holding her shoulder and covered in mud. She looked miserable, cold and wet with pain shooting through her arm. Tygra ran up to her and tilted her chin up with his finger, looking into her eyes.

"You did your very best my love" the young tiger prince told her softly.

"I know" she replied, though it didn't help that she lost. Sophie hopped down the ramps again effortlessly, making her way past Cheetara.

"I'm sorry that happened to you" she commented quietly to Cheetara, and as both Cats looked at her, with Tygra at first angry with the rabbit, his face changed to understanding. Sophie nodded to the wounded cat and blinked.

"It was a fair challenge" Cheetara replied back. Sophie nodded again. The young rabbit seemed very honorable, as she emitted an aura of calm to her surroundings.

"To the next challenge maybe?" Rajah asked.

"Yeah, let's get this over with" Lion-o answered.

"That's the spirit! This one you might win."

Both groups walked to an open area as Rajah took the same stick on the ground and used it to outline a circle.

"Now, this is a test of strength. The first to be pinned to the ground on his back is the loser. The first to be knocked out of the ring is the loser. This is a wrestling match, so no punches, no kicks, no strikes. Rocko" Rajah explained as he chose the rhino in his group.

"You've got to be kidding me… there's no way…" Lion-o said as he looked at the huge man.

"Choose your contender" Rajah said with his arms crossed over his chest.

"I'll do it" Panthro walked forward as the others watched him.

"Panthro, there's just no way-" Lion-o tried to reason with him.

"Don't count me out just yet your majesty" he answered as he stood in the ring. He didn't look over his shoulder to speak to his king, as he kept his head in the fight. The old General squared his shoulders and jaw, flicked his nose with his thumb, and got ready.

"Let me just put the gem here…" Rajah said as he placed the gem on the ground and spoke the same words again. The sky darkened again, but no light was lost.

"Little Kit, are you ready?" Rajah asked.

"Alright… I guess…" she mumbled, worried that Panthro was going to get creamed.

"One, two… three!" she yelled. Rocko lunged at Panthro, who was only two thirds his size. Still, Panthro had proven his strength on numerous occasions in the past. Panthro shot out his arms, stretching them as he went for his legs.

"Ah, your friend has a rather odd ability in those arms of his. I did not know that" Rajah said smiling.

"That's still fair. It's part of his body" Lion-o reasoned.

"Of course, of course" the older tiger agreed, still smiling. Rocko was tripped to the ground by Panthro's arms, as the general wrapped them around the rhino's body and tried to roll him. Rocko pushed himself up on his forearms and shins, spreading himself out like a water skimmer bug. He couldn't be rolled or moved, and his weight and low form stopped Panthro's arms from getting much leverage.

"Come on Panthro! You can do it!" Lion-o yelled as the others cheered for him. Kalihara oddly remained silent as she watched, observing everything. Panthro came forward and pulled his arms back in as he grabbed at Rocko's head and tried to pick him up. Rocko obliged by using his horn to knock Panthro's leg out from under him and pin him. The General immediately back flipped and rolled right, getting away from the moving rhino. The gem pulsed again, this time making the ground break apart and turn into small platforms. Some of the platforms sunk into the ground, turning into endless void below.

"That's not good…" Kat yelped.

"Whiskers…" Lion-o whispered as Panthro stumbled a bit, but Rocko did as well.

"This was… not wanted…" Rajah said worriedly.

"This has got to stop! Turn the gem off!" Lion-o growled at him.

"It won't turn off unless the challenge is completed! That was a rule placed upon it!" Rajah reasoned with him.

"If they fall… either of them…" Cheetara said under her breath. Panthro rolled to another platform as his disappeared, balancing on it as Rocko jumped towards him. His extra size made it hard to fit through any of the void zones, but Panthro was a prime candidate.

"Come on… come on…" Lion-o whispered through gritted teeth. Panthro jumped at Rocko, but he grabbed his arms and tried to pin him immediately. A void zone started to appear near Panthro's head. His right shoulder and lower back had still not touched the ground.

"Rocko won't fit through that… but Panthro will!" Tygra grimaced as he watched the wrestling match.

"It seems this challenge is nearly over" Rajah said solemnly.

"Don't bet on it" Panthro grinned as he brought his feet balled up under him and pushed. Despite the rhino being much large than he was, and heavier, he rolled at a backwards angle away from the void and kip upped at the last second, knocking Rocko out of the ring and landing, barely, on his toes on a small spot surrounded by space.

"Whoa… whoa…" Panthro stuttered as he balanced on the small rock.

"He won!" Kit cheered as Lion-o pumped his arm into the air.

"It seems we are even now. I congratulate your friend" Rajah said smiling.

"That gem is causing too many problems for us. I'd much rather bandits attack than have that thing cause us any more stress" Tygra snapped.

"So, are you saying you cannot handle the random situation that it can throw at us? You cannot adapt to the unknown?" Rajah asked. Everyone looked at him.

"No, we can… but you have to agree, that thing could get one of us killed" Lion-o spoke up for his brother.

"I agree, which is why we only use it for challenges. It causes us to learn to work with any situation, and further pushes us to improve. We have met groups of adventurers who were nowhere near as strong as you are, and yet the gem provided an interesting challenge for us" Rajah explained.

"Let's just get the third challenge out of the way" Lion-o said quickly, frustrated with the different defective reactions the gem had on the trials. It did make the group of Thunder Cats more wary about what they were facing though, and Rajah's team had to do the same things. He was still worried that the entire thing was a setup, that Rajah had preprogrammed the gem to cause those adverse effects, though Panthro still came out the winner of the last trial.

"The next challenge is a very simple one. Hide and seek. Two members from the group will be in this trial. One will hide, while the other finds the opposite team member. There will be no weapons allowed in this challenge, so no one is allowed to be hurt by the opposing team. The first team to find the opposite member wins, but the catch is the hidden member must find a position and stay there. There is no moving allowed once hidden. Ample time will be given to find the ideal position. Ready?" Rajah asked. Lion-o thought Tygra was the best candidate for this, though Kalihara would work well with her suit. She again was fiddling with her gauntlet, this time with her goggles temporarily over her eyes before she came back to the situation at hand.

"Kalihara, what do you think?" Lion-o asked.

"What? Lion-o…" Tygra was flabbergasted at his request.

"If you feel it's best, but if Tygra volunteers, I'd step back" she replied.

"I volunteer" Tygra insisted.

"Alright, Tygra, you're up" Lion-o said, high fiving his brother.

"They'll never find me" the tiger prince smirked.

"I don't doubt it" Lion-o returned the smirk.

"And your spotter?" Rajah asked.

"Hmm" Lion-o thought long and hard. Kalihara would be the best considering her assortment of sight amplification systems installed into her goggles, as well as her drones, but he had no idea what the next challenge would bring. Suddenly, an idea jumped into his head like a light bulb going on.

"Wait, if we choose a person to join in this trial, are they unavailable for the next challenge?" he asked.

"No, there is no rule to use the same person for another challenge. You may have the same team member go through all challenges if you wish it, though it would hardly prove the capabilities of the rest of your team. With one strong member carrying the others, if that one falls, the others will fall. If all are equally strong, then you can continue and prevail against many" Rajah explained. Lion-o started to think that maybe the story behind Rajah and his group was wrong.

"Rajah, I need to ask you something" Lion-o said, not picking his spotter.

"I think I know what the question is, though I will answer" the tiger said, a slight sadness growing into his eyes.

"We heard that you were the group that was banned from the tournament last year because of the deaths of another team, by your hand, and that you cheated. How do we know that you aren't using the gem to cheat here?" Lion-o asked.

"Yeah, something is fishy here" Tygra backed him up.

"He doesn't have to answer that!" Rocko roared, but Rajah put his hand up.

"That battle was… unfortunate. I assure you though, that we had nothing to do with that. We were disqualified because of misinformation, that is all" he explained.

"Misinformation? Another team is dead because of what happened! There were supposed to be no fatalities!" Lion-o snapped.

"Back off!" Rocko snapped, right by his leader's side as the others followed suit. Lion-o's group was next to him in an instant.

"Stop it! Everyone!" Rajah snapped as he put his hands up between both sides.

"It was not us Lion-o. Some wished for our team to lose, and they would stop at nothing to make that come true. Please, are we going to do the challenge or not? Choose your spotter" he requested. Lion-o grimaced, and nodded.

"Lion-o..." Tygra started to say, but his brother shot him a glare to shut up.

"Tygra, are you sure you can keep hidden?" he asked.

"You better believe it" the tiger prince replied.

"Alright then. Bengali, you'll be our spotter" the lion king chose. Bengali stepped up, and Kalihara didn't say a word.

"What? I thought… I thought you'd choose Kalihara to… well…" Tygra stuttered out, even wondering why he chose the white tiger.

"I agree, what's up?" Cheetara asked, still holding her arm. Sophie walked up and offered to bandage it for her, in which she warily accepted.

"We all know Tygra can stay invisible as long as nothing is happening around him. As long as the gem doesn't try and throw those rocks again, it should be no problem. Bengali should be able to easily find whoever he chooses simply by his sense of smell, and if that doesn't work, he can always wave his arms about and run around wherever he is to touch whoever Rajah chooses" Lion-o explained. He gave Kalihara a glance, wondering what she thought of his choice. If she was annoyed, she didn't show it. The lioness simply sat on her rock, still observing how everything went. Her gauntlet was running some sort of scan, though he couldn't figure out on what or where it was performing it.

"Very well then; I choose Axel, and as my spotter, Kitsune." The older tiger pointed to his comrades, who stepped forward.

"Huh, even" Lion-o muttered out under his breath.

"Tygra, Axel, if you would please. We will head this way for the challenge" Rajah told them as the large group followed him to a new area, further away from the mountain and near multiple abandoned buildings. All of them were falling apart and in major disrepair, with the roof caving in on two of them, or wooden planks on the floor jutting out.

"Find a building or spot in this small abandoned town and hide. Tygra, because you have not had time to look around, we will wait here and let you walk through as we sit here" Rajah told him. Tygra nodded and left the others as they conversed amongst themselves. The young prince walked into multiple buildings, checking in the basements of some, looking for barrels or maybe rafters to hide on. If he was careful, he could use his whip to keep himself attached to the roof of one, and without any way for anyone to reach him. It was the perfect spot.

"Alright, I've found one spot" he said as he came back.

"Very well. Axel, Tygra. You may disappear. In five minutes, we will send our spotters. The first found loses" Rajah told everyone. He set down the gem and spoke the magic words, with the pulse appearing again. The sky darkened as it looked menacing a third time. Tygra and Axel vanished into thin air, moving to their hidey holes to prepare for the trial to start. Tygra shot his whip up to the roof, holding onto a small wedge of wood. No one could see where he was connected due to his invisibility covering his whip as well, and no one would know he was hanging from a spot that no one could physically reach.

"Five minutes have past. Kit" the old tiger spoke to the cub, as the Wily teenager walked forward followed by Kitsune and Bengali.

"On three. One, two… three!" she yelled. Bengali and Kitsune both bolted towards the buildings, searching for the opposite team member.

"Sniff him out!" Lion-o yelled.

"I agree!" Rajah yelled to Kitsune. Lion-o realized that she could track Tygra as well using her sense of smell. A Fox had just as good a nose as Bengali did, and with her larger ears, could hear any sounds even better.

"Maybe I should have borrowed some equipment from Kalihara…" Bengali mumbled out loud.

"Could he do that?" Lion-o asked.

"He cannot. He is not using what he has, and is relying on another to do the job for him. If it is not a common capability of your comrade, then it would not be allowed" Rajah reasoned. Lion-o didn't like it, as it was just Kalihara's goggles, but it seemed understandable. The gem pulsed again.

"I think he's… right… here…" Bengali whispered to himself as he entered another building, looking around the basement. There were multiple barrels still whole, though that could be an obvious choice. He waved his arms around in the air, trying to cover as much space as possible. If the chameleon was nearby, he would touch him.

Just then, the buildings started to rot away, with the boards and metal rusting and collapsing.

"Oh no… Tygra can't move from wherever he is or he could be disqualified!" Lion-o yelled out, with Rajah grimacing as well.

"They both could be trapped in there… Kitsune… hurry up…" the old tiger muttered out. Kitsune was moving as quickly as Bengali was, with her ears rotating like radar dishes for any sound, though it was now much harder with the creaking and crumbling of wood and metal.

"Uh oh…" Tygra whispered to himself, as the boards on the roof he was hanging from started to come apart.

"Where are you…" Bengali whispered as the floor above him started to fall apart, as well as the stairs leading down.

"Whiskers…" he grunted as he ran up the stairs as fast as he could, keeping just ahead of the rot. Just as he reached the top and ran out of the collapsing building, Tygra's ceiling came collapsing down, with him hitting the floor hard. It knocked the wind out of him, with Kitsune standing right there, though she had no idea where he had come from. He indeed found the perfect spot to hide.

"Found him!" she yelled, with everyone hearing it.

"Dang it!" Lion-o said as he cursed, with Bengali turning around as his own building fell apart… with Axel right behind him.

"What the… oh you got to be kidding me…" he whined as Axel gave him an odd grin.

"Ooph" Tygra coughed as he tried to get up, with the building falling apart all around him. What he didn't expect was Kitsune picked his arm up and wrapped it over her shoulders, and helped him run out. As they jumped through the door frame and landed on their backs, the wall fell inward.

"It is a good thing the gem does not allow its effects to be permanent…" Rajah muttered as Lion-o ran forward to Tygra.

"I'm ok! I'm ok!... thanks to her…" he snapped as Kitsune got up and offered her hand. He begrudgingly accepted it, and was soon standing while coughing.

"That was a close one" the white tiger said in between coughs from the dust and dirt flowing in clouds through the land.

"No kidding… I guess we lost though…" Lion-o commented as he looked at Rajah.

"There are still two other challenges. You have a chance to succeed" he told him smiling.

"Yeah… right…" Lion-o grumbled out. The two teams walked back to the mountain and headed up to the camp, with Rajah showing them the next challenge.

"This will be a swordsmanship challenge. Kitsune will fight for our team. The winner is the first one to draw blood, though the rules are not to attack to kill. No strikes to the neck or head, they are not allowed. No driving attacks to impale the chest. Realize that this is a test of control more than strength. Focus your attacks toward one goal, to show that you could kill, but choose not to" Rajah explained.

"So where is the arena?" Lion-o asked.

"You are standing in it. We are the ones who will move. Please, if I may ask, do not destroy our tents. I would rather not have my pipe and other belongings stepped on" Rajah chuckled out.

"I'll do this one" the young king said as he pulled the sword of omens.

"I would have expected no one else. Oh, one other thing. You are not to use anyone else as cover. That is dishonorable, and either side will lose immediately. Consider everyone else an innocent. You stay away from others if at all possible. Keep your wits about you, Kitsune" Rajah told them, as he shared a glance towards Kitsune. She nodded as she pulled a katana and a wakizashi and spun them past her arms with style, getting into a defensive stance.

"I would never use another as a living shield" Lion-o told the old tiger. He nodded knowingly.

"Everyone, back up if you would. Kit" Rajah commanded, as both groups backed away to a safer distance. Rajah placed the gem down and said the magic words for the fourth time, changing the sky again.

"On three. One, two… three!" Kit yelled, as Kitsune immediately changed her tactics right off the bat and lunged at Lion-o. He blocked quickly as she struck fast to the sides, not going for his head. She wanted him wounded quickly, as he barely could keep his feet in the same spot while she pushed him back in a spiraling stumble of a walk. It almost looked like they were in a tango, with him thrusting back towards her arms as the vixen dodged, returning with multiple other jabs towards his legs. He back flipped once, nearly landing on Cheetara as she got out of the way. The swordsmanship of both was impressive, with Lion-o holding the line halfway through. Kitsune was slowing down, watching how he was blocking, looking for an opening. He didn't want to give her that chance. The gem pulsed once, and the surrounding view of the world darkened. Lion-o and Kitsune couldn't see anything around them besides each other.

"Guys?" Lion-o yelled.

"We're right here! We can see you! What's wrong?" Tygra asked.

"We can't see you!" Kitsune yelled out, with Lion-o nodding at her. It was still a fair fight.

"We'll just have to keep on our toes while you guys go at it. At least it isn't trying to cause something that could really hurt you. This seems tame compared to the last few defects it pumped out" Panthro said as they continued fighting.

"Watch her moves!" Tygra cheered on, telling him to remember what their father and Panthro had taught them. Their sword training at a young age had bred defensive stances into them, and to look for the same moves the opposing force used. It made them predictable, and easy to end the fight. Kitsune was a whirling blade storm attacking Lion-o.

"Keep the defense up! Don't break until you're sure you can strike!" Panthro got into the mix as well, pointing to his stance and telling him to ease off. Kitsune was doing the same, though it was difficult for him to get through two blades as each time he tried to attack, she had the wakizashi ready to block, followed by a strike from her katana.

"Wait for it…" Lion-o whispered to himself as he side rolled a strike, keeping his defense up.

"One more…" he whispered, as he watched how she fought. Kitsune tended towards multiple slashes, which seemed fairly easy to block if she used one blade, but when she used two he had to always dodge. He waited for her to strike once more, blocking it with his sword. She parried his weapon and attempted to stab with her smaller blade at his arm, but just at the last moment he brought his hilt up, and hoped against hope his bracers would hold. The blade slid across the armor, making a horrid screeching sound as it carved into the metal and leather, as his blade was held in the opposite direction. She tried to pull away, but his hand reached out and grabbed hers. When she thrust her katana out to strike his hand, he flipped his sword and blocked it. His leg came behind hers and pulled back towards him, trying to trip her. Her balance was thrown off, stopping her from attacking completely while they were held in an odd tangle of swords and limbs.

"Lion-o! Pull back! She's gonna slice your wrist!" Tygra yelled, as he did just that. Before he backed off, however, his claws raked across her forearm, cutting into her fur.

"First blood!" he yelled, pointing. Kitsune looked at the small gash, wincing from the pain.

"Hmm, it is as the rules state, though not from the blade" Rajah said with a sage nod.

"I improvised. Um… is that allowed? There wasn't a rule stated for that" the young king asked, worried that he was disqualified.

"No your majesty. I should have expected someone to try that. Kitsune, you left yourself too open with your aggressive strikes. You need to balance your stance more. What would have happened if he had moved too quickly, and an innocent was behind him?" Rajah scolded his friend.

"I apologize. I wanted to whittle his defense down, catch him when he was tired" she responded, bowing to him.

"I was nearly there. One more strike and I would have been pushed to my knees" Lion-o told her.

"Then it was the best approach for you to attack, or you would have most likely lost" the vixen replied with a smile.

"I didn't doubt it. You fight well" Lion-o told her. She bowed to him with a thank you coming from her mouth and sat down. No one came to bandage Kitsune's arm as she sat down on a small block of wood.

"I'm sorry that the challenge had to involve hurting each other" Rajah told him.

"I'm sorry the wound was inflicted on her, but those were the rules" Lion-o responded.

"It matters not. The gem does not only cause us to enter another realm, but any rules placed during the challenge that involve a change in the environment or a person, disappear once the challenge has been completed" the old tiger explained.

"Wait a minute, does that mean the black void holes that appeared during the trial of strength would have coughed up Panthro or Rocko once the challenge was over?" Tygra asked as his jaw hung low.

"Precisely. No one dies during a challenge young prince, and no harm stays on the body. Look for yourself" Sophie said as she pointed to Kitsune's arm. The wound was completely gone, with no scar of any kind.

"So… someone could be hacked to pieces and not die? Why not allow for fatal strikes then?" Lion-o asked.

"Ah, you see, that is the problem. If you are killed by another, the gem cannot keep the soul attached to the body, only heal the wounds. It would be a lifeless corpse. At least by being hit by the boulders, or falling into the void, the gem would have known it had ended the trial, and the person that had lost would come out with no harm done" Rajah explained to him with a few gestures of his hands.

"So, what about Cheetara?" Kat asked.

"That was caused by her own attempt to slide around the boulder that had fallen in front of her, not by the rock itself. She caused harm to herself, not the gem, or Sophie. She needs to work a little bit on her agility, not her speed" Kitsune commented.

"Tell me the truth Rajah. What happened during the last tournament?" Lion-o asked. Rajah sighed and sat down, feeling much older than he really was.

"We were winning, and the team opposing us wanted to stop us at all costs. They were the ones who cheated. The way they died was because of their own devices. The gem… we were using it to stop any dishonorable conduct" he explained.

"And it made all equipment, mines they had placed, magical talismans, detonate nearby them instead of us. The gem… it doesn't like bad sportsmanship" Sophie said quietly.

"Everyone believed we had caused it, but we had no idea that the gem would act that way. We were banned from the tournament, simply because we wished to win with honor, courage, and skill. Sadly, we did not have one thing that all need a little bit of in the arena" Rajah told the Thunder Cats with a sad look in his eyes.

"Luck" Lion-o finished his sentence as he watched the old tiger.

"Yes. Luck, and we were all out of it at that point. We had earned that grand prize. We had fought long and hard, trained long and hard to reach that engine. It belonged to us. When it was being transferred to another city, we followed the caravan, but despite what everyone says, we did not attack it! You must believe me! The bandits, they struck. We tried to help, but by the time we had ended the fight, everyone in the caravan was dead. The gang ran away, leaving everything there; bodies, money, you name it. We decided to leave everything but the engine there. We deserved it, would you not agree?" Rajah asked him. Lion-o stared into his eyes. They were not the eyes of a murderer. He was a tired old tiger, an honorable warrior who believed in courage and camaraderie, not turning the tide with dirty tricks.

"I guess we were wrong about you and your friends. I'm… sorry that we labeled you so quickly" Lion-o said as he put his hand out for him to shake.

"I can understand why you would think that way young king. I would think the same way were I in your shoes. Please believe me when I say that the way the gem acts during our challenges, it was not meant to harm, but to make you think on your feet, as it makes us do the same. It pushes us to excel when we have practiced the same challenge again and again with other groups. Still, we might rely a bit much on it for training." Lion-o chuckled at his understanding.

"I guess we should start the last challenge" Rocko spoke up.

"Yes, I agree. Afterwards, to the victor goes the spoils. If we win, we get your ship. We will take good care of it should we succeed. If you win, you will gain the engine. Regardless of whom is victorious, I would like for you all to stay the night in our humble camp, eat with us and rest. It is customary in my home to allow hard feelings to wash away with some drink and good food. Good sportsmanship. Will you accept?" Rajah asked. Lion-o nodded, as did the rest of his friends.

"Good. The last challenge will be one of marksmanship" the old tiger said grinning as he picked up the leaning pulse rifle near his tent. Everyone's eyes immediately went to Kalihara. She had said very little the entire time the trials had been taking place.

"Time for you to enter the spotlight" Lion-o chuckled as he stared at her. She stood up from her seat and pulled her rifle, extending the barrel and stock. It made the pulse rifle look pathetic as it powered up.

"Here, this will be our firing range. The highest amount of points after one minute wins. The back targets are worth three points, the middle targets are worth two points, and the front targets are worth one point" he explained as he pointed to a targeting range. Kalihara walked up and down each row of targets and checked over each pull string and the wiring to each.

"Is it satisfactory to you my dear?" Rajah asked. She nodded without saying a word. The old tiger placed the gem on the ground as she came over and stood next to him.

"Come on Kali! You can do it!" Kat cheered as the rest of her team followed suit. She kept her look of stone as she readied herself.

"Kit, if you would?" Rajah asked.

"On three. One, two… THREE!" she yelled. The targets started to pop up, but before Kalihara fired anything, she shot her hand to her side and pulled out her scout drone and dropped her rifle to the ground. Rajah took out one target in front, and then another in the back.

"What the heck is she doing?" Tygra asked, worried that she hadn't fired once.

"I don't know" Lion-o replied, concerned she was having problems with her rifle. She rummaged through her backpack quickly, pulling out her spider bot and auto turret. She placed them on the ground, and activated them. She then picked up her rifle and aimed, with her mask engaging while her goggles flipped down. Rajah was at ten points.

"She's already behind!" Tygra yelled, annoyed that she had stopped to pull out her toys. The next target popped out… and she fired. Rajah didn't even get a chance to aim before she hit her mark, a middle target, but it provided two points. Another target popped up, but she fired again before he could move the barrel. Three points added; she was at five. Targets started popping up two at a time, with her spider bot firing alongside her as she aimed. The gem pulsed, and a sandstorm started to flow in from seemingly nowhere.

"I can't see a thing!" Panthro yelled out as they pushed their hands out in front of them. Rajah dropped his own goggles over his eyes, though he still hadn't had a chance to fire. Kalihara was still shooting, with the sand not even stopping her it seemed. The gem pulsed again, with the targets turning into real enemies… lizards.

"No… no no no… we have to stop the trial!" Rocko yelled.

"It is the gem causing it! We must push on!" Rajah yelled as the targets all popped up, producing waves of lizards rushing the rifleman and riflewoman with axes and swords. Rajah tried to fire as he figured there were too many for even Kalihara to shoot, even with the help of her drones. What he didn't expect was her shoulder mounted micro missile launcher… or a grenade. She threw one to the right, and fired her launcher to the left, causing every target to be blown to the ground at the same time. One minute had passed… with Rajah stuck at ten points, and Kalihara at close to one hundred and fifty. The sandstorm disappeared, with Kalihara still in her battle stance, her rifle aimed. The Thunder Cats cheered.

"I've never seen anyone fight with such focus" Rajah said quietly, blinking. Kalihara pushed her goggles up to her forehead and looked at him.

"I studied the power transfer of the target pistons and pull cords, and ran the simulations through my virtual reality systems in my goggles. I knew which one would pop up before you did, which is why the gem tried to produce the sandstorm to hamper our vision" Kalihara explained.

"Which was why it changed the situation yet again and added living targets. I had no idea you had explosives with you" Rajah commented, clearly impressed.

"I've had to adapt to far worse odds, far worse… fates…" she responded quietly as she chose her words with great care, her face showing a hint of a frown as she looked away. Rajah noticed the change, but did not question what her words entailed. Lion-o seemed to understand what she meant, and wanted to speak up, tell her she wasn't alone against the odds, but Panthro put his hand on his shoulder and shook his head softly behind his back.

"Well, I believe this means you have earned the right to the engine. Come, we will show you where we have hidden it" Rajah said as he bowed in acknowledgement to the Thunder Cat's prowess.

"Down near the oasis south of the mountain" Kalihara commented. Rajah's team stared at her.

"Wait, what?" Lion-o asked.

"I wonder, how you found that out?" Rajah asked her over his shoulder, eyeing her suspiciously.

"I was running a satellite scan for the engine materials in the area, with multiple wave lengths. I found the form hidden underwater. It was an emergency situation in the event the gem wasn't just causing random events during trials, or bandits actually did strike and your team was neutralized" she explained. It seemed fairly reasonable to her, and after a few seconds, Rajah figured that she wouldn't act on the plan unless the situation did in fact become dire. She had far more experience with plans failing than the rest of Lion-o's team, and was used to having backup plans should the need arise. No wonder the gem tried twice to slow her down. If the trial was longer than one minute, it might have tried a third time, or even a fourth.

The group followed the old tiger as they walked down the same zig-zag ramp to the bottom of the mountain and headed left. They reached a small oasis, nothing especially interesting besides some shrubs growing around it. That was when Rajah dove into the water, swimming deep under the surface. The Thunder Cats waited for a few seconds as he didn't surface, and suddenly saw a large bag float to the top, and another. There were ten bags that floated to the top, tied to something below. One final air filled bag floated up, and a platform came with it. The engine was covered in what looked like a magic field, keeping all liquid away from it. Rajah pulled the floating platform to the side of the oasis and dragged it out with help from Rocko.

"That's a spot we would have never thought of" Panthro chuckled as he watched.

"No kidding" Cheetara whispered as she gawked at the size of the engine.

"There it is. We will help you bring it to your ship if you wish" Rajah offered.

"Uh, thank you, that's… very generous of you" Lion-o accepted his offer of extra labor.

"Uh guys…" Bengali said as he looked at the camp.

"Oh come on Bengali, it's not like they've got a booby trap on the engine" Tygra huffed.

"No, guys, seriously" the white tiger pointed as everyone turned around. Their jaws dropped as they saw the sky darken again.

"We aren't using the gem" Rajah told Lion-o as he held his hands up defensively.

"That's not a good sign" the young king grimaced as both groups raced together towards the top. Rocks started to fall down to hinder their progression, but Rocko rammed through each of them. What he couldn't break through, Sophie leapt on top of and helped everyone over. There was an army of lizards coming down at them, but Kalihara and Rajah both opened fire on them at the same time.

"I don't think it likes either of us now!" Kitsune yelled out as Lion-o and she both started to cut through the horde of hostile lizards coming for them, with Lion-o keeping defense while she provided quick offense, retreating behind him each time the wave became too large, while Kalihara and Rajah whittled them down from afar with quick and accurate firepower.

"Kat! Grapple!" Lion-o yelled, as the cub complied quickly. Kit pulled out her flupe and started to play, placing the rushing lizards in a daze. Rocko climbed up the grapple halfway, with Bengali on his shoulders. The rhino grabbed the white tiger and shot putted him to the top, right in front of the gem. Tygra and Axel intercepted anything that tried to attack the blacksmith, staying invisible until something came for him, striking hard before disappearing again. They were ninjas against the stray lizards coming for the blacksmith.

"Time to end this!" Bengali roared as he brought his hammer straight down on the gem. The shimmering jewel shattered, exploding with enough force to launch Tygra and Axel forward into two different tents like a furry and scaly missile, and sending Bengali careening off the side and plummeting towards the ground.

"Bengali!" Lion-o yelled, with Kalihara and Rajah both running to try and break his fall.

"Retributive Strike?" Axel grunted from the tent he had flown into, with Tygra pulling himself out of the other tent.

Kalihara's scout hover drone came up behind him, firing off its compression system and bouncing him softly downward as it tried to keep him in the air without the concussion harming him. The weight was too much as the drone couldn't keep him up for too long, as his leg hit the small drone and sent it wobbling away like a deflating balloon. It was enough to allow him to fall on top of Kalihara, with his legs falling on Rajah. The drone careened into the side of the mountain and slowly drooped towards the others, two of its fans damaged and making a grinding noise.

"Ooph!" the lioness grunted as she fell on the ground. Bengali looked into her emerald eyes and smiled.

"I can think of worse places to land" he chuckled as he gave her a small wink, his head landing on her armored chest. She groaned and pushed him off her, standing up and dusting off her pants. Bengali followed suit, and picked up her rifle to hand to the female Thunderian soldier. She took it with thanks.

"Always willing to help a beautiful lady" he said quietly. She didn't respond, though Lion-o was grinding his teeth on the third ramp above.

"I believe that was an involuntary challenge on all of our part" Rajah said with a small smile creeping on his face.

"I think we passed with flying colors" Sophie said from the ramp above.

**[Two Hours Later]**

The engine had been brought to the Feliner, and with the help from Rajah's group, they were able to install it quickly with no error. Bengali proved to be invaluable in the welding and modification of the engine rack, with Rocko and Panthro both holding it up, and Sophie jumping wires to the top where Kalihara plugged them in. The fuel lines Kitsune attached as they were running along the belly of the ship. Tygra and Axel both made sure the navigations and pilot controls were functioning, while Lion-o and Rajah watched over the entire operation.

"That lioness you have in your group… she has a very painful past… but she is far better trained than I could have imagined... she holds back, controls what she needs to finish a fight, and moves on" Rajah said quietly to Lion-o as they watched the operation. Lion-o looked up at the top of the Feliner, seeing Kalihara connecting power cables and sensor lines.

"She's been trained as a Special Forces Commando" Lion-o told him.

"Hmm, indeed. I could tell she was something special when she didn't speak for most of the challenges. I believe she even gave me that lead during the last trial. I somehow knew I was outmatched the instant she started to study the target range" Rajah chuckled out.

"She's definitely special…" Lion-o whispered, watching her close up the top panel and sliding off the side of the ship, landing on her feet and walking to Kitsune. The vixen gave her a thumbs up, letting her know that the fuel lines were set up. Kalihara motioned for her to talk to Panthro, as he was the mechanic, not her.

"To two men it seems" Rajah told him with a catty grin on his face. Lion-o quickly looked at him, glancing back at Kalihara and then at Bengali.

"Wait, what?" he asked.

"You aren't the only one that is fighting for her affection. It was obvious after the gem was destroyed. He will do his best to win her hand. The question is, what are you going to do to head him off? That is a personal challenge you will have to find the answer to, and its lesson is harsh and long. Just remember this. Don't give up until she has decided, and it may not seem obvious at first. A woman works in mysterious ways, and she may seem cryptic at times" the old tiger told him. Lion-o continued watching the Thunderian Special Forces soldier walk back to the cargo ramp and right up inside the ship. The small party would be held in the kitchen, as they had the capability to cook everything and boil water without a campfire. There were spare rooms to sleep in until morning as well. Afterwards, the Thunder Cats would take their leave. Rajah was perfectly fine with the party held in the ship, as Lion-o wished to thank them for their help with the engine.

**[Music: Dar Williams – Christians and Pagans]**

"I guess I'll have to prove how much she means to me then" Lion-o whispered as they headed inside. The small party started with everyone starting one conversation or another, with the cubs showing their robotic rabbits to Sophie. Kitsune proved she was an impressive cook, even better than Kalihara as she seasoned everything to bring out impressive flavor, and chopped the vegetables and meats like a sushi chef. Rocko and Panthro had an arm wrestling match, with Tygra and Axel using Kat's grapple as a jump rope for Sophie to jump. The cubs joined into the fun as everyone seemed to relax and settle in for the night. The Thunder Cats had gone through five trials, and as a whole had come out stronger than before, learning from their experience. Lion-o learned to not take local word of mouth at face value, and to not judge the people they had to interact with like an old saying he had heard about a book's cover. The only team member that hadn't needed to learn anything was Kalihara, who had already done her homework from the get go, with her scrutinizing observation of each challenge. She had learned her harsh lessons long ago before even meeting Lion-o and his gang. Nothing was as easy as it seemed for her. The lioness would always be on guard. She would always be a sentinel against anything that came for the Thunder Cats.

Lion-o had noticed the entire party had happened without the woman joining them. She had walked right into her small bedroom and disappeared for most of the party. The young king wondered what was wrong, and decided to knock on her door.

"Enter" she spoke from the other side. Lion-o opened the sliding door and saw the lioness sitting cross legged on her bed with her armor off and spread out on her lap. She was back in her green cargo pants and tank top, her dog tags dangling in front of her as she held a utility army tool in her hand. The tool had a multitude of attachments, with three different small knives, three screwdrivers, a pair of pliers which she was using at the moment, among other things. Lion-o stayed silent as she pulled hard on a piece of shrapnel still stuck in the fibers just under an armor panel. It finally came loose, a two inch long serrated metal object that looked menacing in Lion-o's eyes. She sighed and dropped it onto her bed, continuing to dig for another. Her scout drone was sitting in the corner of the bed, with replacement parts set aside. One of the camera lenses had been cracked, with two fans damaged. There were scuffed scratch marks running along two different spots, one from the strike against the mountainside, and the other from the crash landing.

"Your suit stopped those?" he asked, surprised at the resilience of her equipment.

"Barely. If that mortar had landed an inch closer, you would have carried me out in a body bag. It was reckless, risky-" she said as she pulled another piece from near the thigh "-and I'd do it again to protect those cubs." She dropped the next piece on her bed again. Lion-o counted seven pieces in total, five more than she had told him last. It seemed she didn't tell him everything.

"I thought you said you only had two pieces left?" he asked her as she put down the tool and picked up a pair of tweezers and what looked like a metal thread and needle, as well as some iron wool from what he could tell. It was obvious that the material was anything but, as it was most likely some space aged alloy that she had to repair anything that required it.

"I thought so as well. Apparently some of the flak wedged itself under the panels. I felt some lumps near my hip, but I couldn't quite tell where they were coming from and didn't have the time for a full repair until we gained the engine. Bengali landing on me didn't help either, as it pushed a few of the shards closer." Kalihara stuffed a bit of the metal wool into a small opening that the shrapnel had created, sewing it shut carefully as Lion-o watched in silence. He didn't want to distract her while she fixed her armor. Bengali had proven that maintaining his equipment helped immensely, and he would do the same tomorrow. Once she had finished with each spot that was damaged, the lioness put on her delta gauntlet and sprayed the nanite mist onto the suit. The little bots closed the openings completely, turning her jury rigged sewing into seamless material.

"Couldn't you have done that before? I mean, well… sorry, I just wondered if that might have saved you time" he asked.

"The basic repairs were to make the job easier for the nanites. While I could have allowed them to do a full repair diagnostic, it would have taken them two hours to scour the suit for any abnormalities. This shaves off one and a half of those hours for twenty minutes of work." The nanites poured back into the small nozzle into the gauntlet after finishing, allowing Kalihara to pick up a small spray can and do light touch ups with whatever was inside.

"What's that?" he asked.

"A reverse reflection deoxidizer. It keeps-" she looked up at him, realizing she was getting a bit too technical "-it keeps light from screwing with my camouflage, allowing the micro Light Emitting Diodes, or LEDs, to have an easier time with keeping me stealthed. Also helps with keeping any body heat from showing up on thermal displays the lizards might use" she told him as she stopped spraying. She swapped to another canister and sprayed with light strokes over the spots she had just finished, and sat there for a minute doing nothing. The second spray caused the recently repaired areas to look just like the rest of the suit. He figured it was the final layer.

"So… is it done?" he asked. She sighed, not looking up at him. He couldn't tell if she was annoyed at his questions or if she was just relaxing from the repairs, but he wasn't used to the technology she carried with her.

"Almost." Kalihara picked up her goggles and pushed them over her eyes. She ran basic set up and camouflage tests. The suit immediately sprang to life at different spots with some spinning lines going in clockwise formation, as well as small checkerboard patterns showing in other locations. There were no irregularities.

"All that to keep your camouflage working?" he asked.

"If it goes down, it makes me a target. My armor isn't as strong as you think it is. Pulse rounds, sure, as long as I'm not being pummeled by them. Plasma rounds are more touchy, as it's the heat that needs defusing. Electromagnetic rounds are an entirely different animal. I keep a spare camo cloak in my pack just in case, but I pray I never need to use it" she explained.

"Wait, how many different types are there? Sorry, I'm still getting used to all of this. I've studied technology ever since I was a little cub, and some of what you just said still baffles me. I've seen quite a bit since Thundera fell, but new stuff seems to pop up all the time" Lion-o interrupted.

"Projectile, Energy, Explosive, Electromagnetic. Those are the basics. All of them kill, some of them can be defended against with infantry armor. Projectile and Energy, at least some of them, I can survive; a few rounds at least so I can run for cover. Explosives and Electromagnetic weapons I obviously will not survive. Both will ruin my day." She told him in a nonchalant manner, clipping and snapping replacement panels on top of the newly repaired suit.

"I've seen the lizards use the pulse weaponry since the fall of Thundera… do you think they have anything else? Explosives obviously." Lion-o waited for her response.

"Lion-o, I've been here for how many days? I. Don't. Know. You're asking the wrong person. I just shoot things, hide from things, and steal things that help in war efforts. Sometimes I get to blow things up. There are those special occasions where I get to do all of them in the same operation. None of it tends to be fun, all of it can mean my armor gets breached and I'm another body on the battlefield. You have more experience with them than I do" she suddenly spoke, her tone showing a hint of frustration as he asked her all of these questions. Her beautiful face still hadn't changed from the calm look as she snapped another panel on. He noticed the old panels she was replacing she was setting next to her knee, and taking out some sort of power containment or battery. As soon as she took one out, the puncture in the thin block started to ooze some sort of brackish oil, mixed with metal filings.

"That won't happen. I won't let it happen" Lion-o said sternly. He was gazing at her face as she finished with the last panel.

"Sometimes it's unavoidable. It will happen whether you like it or not. War is hell Lion-o. People die. My job is to make sure our chances of survival significantly improve in those situations. Your job is to make sure we don't get into those situations often." Lion-o's hands were balled into fists on his lap before unclenching them. He looked over at the small picture she had lying on the end of the bed.

"There's more than just your job. What about family?" he asked. She looked up from her suit and noticed his eyes had fallen on the picture she hadn't put away, with it softly picked up in Lion-o's hands. He got a better look at her dead husband. He was a Special Forces soldier like she was, another Lion. He had a shaggy sandy blonde ponytail and seemed slightly more muscular than Lion-o was. To his left, hugging him in the picture, was a cub, maybe six years old. He had his father's sandy hair and a striped t-shirt with a zip up blue sweatshirt over. Both were smiling at the camera. The edges of the picture looked weathered. Just as he turned the picture around, he saw the names "Toby" and "Tom" as well as "Birthday." Toby was the son's name it seemed. Kalihara latched the last panel on and set the suit down.

"None of your concern" she replied coldly.

"I just asked, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hit a nerve. I just wanted to know more about you, that's all. I'm willing to listen whenever you feel like sharing though" he said as he handed the picture back. She quickly took it from his hands in a lightning quick action and hid the picture under her pillow. She acted like it was the most precious item she had. It very well could have been for all the young king knew. It might have been the last thing she had to remember the family she had lost.

"I'm sorry… for not helping Kit and Kat at their home. I figured that the best choice of action was to win the tournament and then head to the farm after. I didn't know that their mother was ill. If you hadn't gone with them…" he trailed off.

"They're fine, and that's what matters. They didn't explain everything to you, so I can understand. You won some spending money, though ultimately with the cub's bag it's moot. Still, might have gained some brownie points with the monkeys, so you didn't exactly come out empty handed" she replied, folding the different suit layers neatly and putting them under her bed. Lion-o eked out a small smile at her for looking at the bright side, though she was still putting away her maintenance tools.

"I'll uh… I'll let you get some rest… but I do mean it, whenever you feel comfortable, you can always share stuff with me, with us I mean" he said as he opened the door and looked over his shoulder.

"Noted" she replied, not looking in his direction. He stepped out of her room and closed the door, letting out a heavy sigh. He couldn't work up the courage to tell her, not with that picture there. It was like there was a protective field around her provided by her long dead family. She belonged to them.

When it became very late, each person retired to their beds, with Rocko and Axel sleeping in the same room, and Kitsune and Sophie taking the last two. Rajah would sleep in the cargo bay, giving up his own comfort for his team.

"No, you can sleep in my room tonight" Lion-o offered.

"I could not take the bed of a king. It is perfectly comfortable on this seat right here. I will be fine" Rajah told him with a smile.

"No, you are right; I am king. I am willingly giving up my bed for you to rest well. I will be able to sleep in it tomorrow night. You need to accept my offer. Please, I insist" Lion-o told the old tiger. Rajah cocked an eyebrow with the smile turning into a smirk.

"As you wish your majesty" he said, and entered the young king's room. Lion-o grabbed a spare blanket and pillow and lay across the makeshift couch attached to the wall near the cockpit, dozing off as he thought of how to let the lioness know how he felt. He was a bit cold with only one blanket, but he managed for half the night when he suddenly felt warmer. He woke up at three in the morning to a second blanket placed on him, and it was a camouflaged pattern, as well as the inside lining was a thermal layer. He smiled as he knew who had tucked him in. The lion slowly fell back to sleep, now warmer with the gift that was given to him by a certain lioness. She must have forgiven him for asking all of those questions, especially about her family. He at least knew who Toby was with the tattoo on her arm.

(Author's Note: Anyone able to spot the D&D reference? Anyone? I'll give you a hint. Axel. This chapter isn't as long as the others, but considering chapter 3/ Episode 29 was really long, and this is sort of the continuation of it to allow the Thunder Cats back into the air, I figured I'd get some leeway.)


	5. Bad Luck

(Author's Note: I got begged to post this ahead of schedule by my friend. Considering I just barely finished it when she called me, and I spell checked and read through it to look for odd errors (I hope I caught most of them, some of the grammar mistakes ARE intentional in how characters speak) and adding extra lines. Yeah, two minutes later, "please post." Writing r hard. Argh. I do this to make her smile. Pray she doesn't kill me after reading this chapter…)

**Episode 31: Bad Luck**

**[One Week Later]**

The Feliner had checked in every location that Lion-o's sword had pointed them. The Book of Omens couldn't give a definitive answer as to where the last stone was placed, and so they searched where the sword provided the young king with sight beyond sight. Morale onboard was dipping, as each time they searched the location the sword had shown, that there was not anything of value, and certainly not the stone that they were seeking.

"Hey, I've got bad news. We're running low on water again, as well as other provisions" Cheetara told Tygra and Lion-o as they sat in the cockpit.

"Great… this will put a chink in our timeframe…" Lion-o grumbled.

"It's not like we're actually finding anything out here Lion-o. We've checked six different spots in the past week, with nothing even pointing to the stone. This is getting old, fast" Tygra remarked.

"Hey it's not my fault alright? The sword is giving us at least something to go on compared to the book. All it does it point in different directions. Each time we reach that spot, the book points to another location. I have no idea why either is acting this way" the young king snapped in defense.

"Well they need to stop sending us flying around in circles. We've practically visited every place on Third Earth! Where does it think we can go next? The moon?" the tiger prince responded. Lion-o gritted his teeth.

"Regardless of where those two artifacts are sending us, we need to set down to gather provisions. Are there any towns nearby?" Bengali asked.

"None. This part of Third Earth isn't exactly populated. No one really expanded out this far" Cheetara replied.

"Well we aren't gonna do much up here. Set her down and we can figure something out" Panthro echoed from inside the now expanded hatch to the vehicle bay. Kit was handing him tools as half of his body was through the door, his knees braced against the metal flooring and his right arm constantly shooting back to grab another instrument to maintain or repair from the kitten. Kalihara walked through the living quarter's bulkhead door and stopped near Cheetara.

"Sitrep?" she asked. Cheetara looked confused, but explained the situation. Kalihara nodded as she also noticed the water level going down.

"Food is all but gone as well" the lioness told her calmly.

"Aren't you supposed to be the one that keeps all of that full?" Tygra asked over his shoulder.

"A, it was never my duty to make sure your belly is full Tygra, and B, I would be able to if you didn't set down simply to rest during the night only to immediately launch us into the air when you wake up, depending on the location we've landed at" the lioness stated calmly.

"Yeah, you could give us a little time to stretch our legs Tygra" Lion-o scolded his brother.

"You're the one who keeps rushing us towards that stone! I'm simply following your majesty's orders" the older brother snapped.

"Here we go again…" Cheetara muttered. Kalihara sighed as Panthro crawled backwards out of the hatch.

"Not ag… for the fourth time! Both of you shut up! Survival supersedes the immediate mission, but only if we aren't stocked and prepared!" Panthro snapped. Both brothers looked over their shoulders as Kalihara walked back through the bulkhead door and went into her room, ignoring everyone. She spent a lot of time by herself, with the only visitors being Lion-o or the cubs. Lion-o didn't really know how to talk to her, as all she did was maintain her equipment, do physical training to keep in shape, or listen to music on her portable music player. He was amazed she had so many different songs on the small object, and how loud the music came out from the earpieces attached to it. He almost never saw the picture of her family again after they had let Rajah's group off the ship and back to their camp. When the cubs would fumble in, they would drag her into some small game they made up to entertain them, and she was fairly accommodating. At one time, without her noticing, he had seen her staring at the picture and crying. It took all of his willpower to not walk up to her and hug her close, to tell her everything was going to be alright.

"I'm just saying… hey…" Tygra said before he cut the conversation short and looked at his instrument panel.

"I know time is short and we're trying to search every place the stone might be hiding, but the book is pointing us to these spots, and if we aren't finding it then that means Mumm-ra isn't either. We can still gather supplies when we need to, we aren't robots constantly-" Lion-o explained as Tygra waved his hand for him to shut up.

"I got something. Looks like a rain forest" he reported, going through the scans from the Feliner.

"At least there will be plenty of water" Panthro grumbled as he closed a container in the cargo area.

"No no, I've got a location from the book. It's saying one of the spots is inside the forest, near a mountain to the west. We can't land near it as there aren't any clear areas, but still…" Tygra explained. He looked over at Lion-o, who looked over his shoulder at Cheetara and Panthro.

"What do you say?" Cheetara asked.

"Let's head down and get some supplies before we go deeper. I'd like to not have us starve and get dehydrated" he commanded.

**[One Hour Later]**

"That's… a lot of water…" Lion-o commented as they landed. The rain forest was doing as its namesake stated. It was raining, heavily, as streams of the liquid cascaded off the sides of the cargo door, with mud puddles abound.

"This should be easy to get the water back up" Tygra remarked. The others agreed.

"Alright, we might as well get started" Lion-o commanded.

"What about food? We're running low now. The fridge can only hold so much, and we've been chomping through it pretty quick in the past week" Kat asked.

"We can always find some berry bushes, and there's got to be some plants that we can eat" Cheetara commented.

"I'm going hunting and fishing" Kalihara said from behind the group. The others turned around just to see her skirt the side of the team and head out into the running water, her suit and armor on as well as a large camouflage poncho.

"Uh, ok…" Lion-o accepted that she wasn't going to help bring the water in, though it confused him that she would not offer assistance.

"Hmm, she shouldn't go alone…" Bengali muttered under his breath. Lion-o agreed, though he felt Bengali was about to jump in to help her. Kalihara was slogging through the mud and water as if it didn't matter, with rivulets pouring off her poncho as she headed towards the tree line.

"I'll go with her, two should be able to bring back enough" the young king stepped in.

"Three can bring back even more" Bengali chuckled out and smiled at him. There was something in his eyes that told Lion-o there definitely was a sense of competition between them. Even though the white tiger had already proven his mettle in the tournament, and helped install the engine, Lion-o still didn't like the fact that he tried his best to hang out with Kalihara. She didn't speak much to him, and refused his flirting, but for all he knew, she was playing hard to get. How much longer she could keep it up without accepting his advances or blowing up in his face, the young king didn't know. The lioness had a long temper it seemed.

"Oh, so I'm going out there alone for the water? Sheesh guys, thanks a lot" Tygra snapped, annoyed that Cheetara and the cubs were going to gather fruits and vegetables while Lion-o and Bengali were going to chase after a girl.

"Fine, if you're gonna be so whiny about it, I'll go out and help" Panthro grumbled.

"Aren't you going to stay and fill the tanks up?" Lion-o asked.

"I'll be sitting around for a good while until Tygra got back with the cans. Considering you two won't help with the manual labor… never mind, you better bring back some choice cuts for tonight" the General said in frustration. Both the tiger prince and the Panther trudged out into the rain, their cloaks wrapped around them. Bengali and Lion-o both raced to catch up to Kalihara, who was already a good distance ahead of them.

"Hey, we figured we'd help catch any game to bring back" Bengali told her as he winked.

"I'm perfectly capable of bringing back any game I catch. I'm not weak" she replied.

"I didn't say that, I'm just saying… um… well…" the blacksmith cut short, trying to figure out how to fix the situation.

"The more there are, the quicker we'll catch anything. We can herd anything towards you to take the shot" Lion-o chipped in.

"We won't catch anything if you both are running amok through the jungle, and you have a good chance of getting lost" she replied calmly, as she pushed a large leaf out of her way and hacked through another plant with her combat knife, which had now extended outwards into a machete size. Her equipment seemed highly variable, and incredibly versatile for a multitude of uses. Lion-o figured it had to be if she was away from support with her team. Kalihara continued onwards, hacking a path to a small clearing surrounded by trees and other large plants. The lioness then dropped her backpack and opened it up to pull out multiple layers of flattened traps and small cords. The cords she started to turn into snares and placing them at different areas near the smaller entrances to the clearing to potentially catch any medium sized animal, and the traps she laid out near the holes in the ground.

"You're willing to catch rodents?" Lion-o asked.

"Are you hungry?" she responded with her own question as she looked over her shoulder at him.

"Point taken" he replied. She continued with her work as Lion-o grabbed one of the traps and aligned the springs to turn the flat mesh walls into a box with a hinge door on a spring lever. Bengali tied down a snare to a tree as Kalihara finished with hers.

"So… we wait?" Lion-o asked.

"We go to other areas. You never wait unless you know larger game is in the area, which we don't, and it would give predators bigger than us a chance to try their hand, or paw, at a prone form" she replied as she picked up her pack and slung it back over her shoulder. Bengali fell in line behind her as she headed down another path, with Lion-o in tow.

"Wha!" Bengali suddenly yelped as he backed away. Kalihara turned around to see what he was making noise about. There, dangling from a branch, was a snake. It was licking at the air in front of it as it stared at Bengali.

"Uh, well, that was surprising…" he mumbled out as he backed away. Lion-o pulled his sword to attack the snake, but Kalihara pushed his hand down.

"Nonpoisonous. It doesn't have the same jaw structure. It's not even a constrictor… it eats bugs, and from the slime green and blue color, poisonous bugs" she explained. The snake just sat there looking at the three.

"Can we eat it?" Lion-o asked.

"If it eats poisonous bugs, then it's most likely poisonous as well" she answered just as its tongue shot out and grabbed a butterfly moving through the air.

"That proves it" the lioness commented as she walked by the snake, easily a foot away. If it was hostile, it could have easily bit her, but all it did was push its head closer to its body in fear that it was going to be attacked. Lion-o and Bengali both stood there with eyebrows raised, looked at each other, and headed after her.

"How do you know so much about animals on a planet you've never explored?" Lion-o asked.

"Survival training. We're taught what you can eat, which is almost everything, what to look for to help you, and what to avoid" she replied quietly as she pushed herself over a fallen log, stopped, and turned around to face them.

"Putting traps here?" Bengali asked.

"No" she answered flatly as she grabbed at a rotted piece of bark and pulled it back. Inside, inching around, were grubs.

"Yuck" Lion-o grimaced. She didn't even hesitate, as she grabbed a few and pushed them into a small metal box in one of her large pockets attached to her pants.

"Are you serious? We aren't eating those are we?" Bengali asked.

"Are you hungry?" she asked. Lion-o looked at Bengali.

"Oh come on, out of everything in this rainforest, you want us to resort to eating bugs?" the white tiger said as he stuck his tongue out in disgust.

"For guys who said they were going to help, you two seem pretty keen on arguing with the number one rule in survival. Adapt, or die" she stated. She was wearing her mask of stone again as she glanced between the two. She grabbed other bugs and pushed them into another box which she pushed into another pocket.

"I hope we catch those rodents then…" Lion-o whispered under his breath. He wasn't fond of the idea of going back to the Feliner and chewing on grubs. Considering that Cheetara and the cubs would have gathered fruit and other plants, he'd have a very green diet for a few days.

"Hey, what kinds of fruit or edible plants would Cheetara expect to find out here?" Lion-o asked as he pushed away another leaf as Bengali stepped over a fallen branch.

"Figs, some form of mango, bananas, papayas… at least some derivative of them on this planet. Keep away from most mushrooms as they are most likely poisonous" she answered as she stopped near a river.

"Fishing?" Bengali asked.

"Fishing, but not like you know it. We don't hang around for long" she replied as she pulled out some fishing lines with a modified twin hook on a spring hinge. She cast one every five feet down the river, attaching them to trees or rocks. Each line had one of the adult bugs impaled on it, to provide a meal for the fish coming downstream.

"How long do we stay?" Lion-o asked.

"Ten minutes, or until we get alerted of a larger predator nearby" she answered as she watched the lines. One of them wriggled immediately.

"Looks like multiple fish… whoa…" Bengali said as he saw a few of them jumping out of the water, their fangs attacking the bug. Kalihara grabbed the line and pulled it towards her, a piranha attached to the double hook rammed into the sides of its mouth.

"Glad we aren't fishing with a spear… hehe…" Bengali joked as he looked between Kalihara and Lion-o.

"Drop your packs" she said as she grabbed the side of the fish and immediately started cleaning it. The other lines started wriggling as she pulled each one in and caught more piranhas, cleaned them and stored them in Bengali's pack.

"Wait, how long until these go bad?" he asked.

"Get them back to the ship now and throw them in the freezer" she said as she threw the lines out again. He looked at Lion-o who smiled at him. He got to stay with Kalihara. Bengali frowned and nodded.

"Wait" she suddenly said as she pulled from under her poncho something from her vest pocket.

"Here, put this on your ear" she said as she handed out some small apparatus.

"What is it?" the white tiger asked.

"Com relay unit. It'll allow you to keep in contact" she replied. He immediately beamed.

"We can talk the language of love over the channel. I see, I see, very clever" he teased.

"I have one for everyone, and if you use the coms for anything other than intel, I'll take it away from you. Understood?" she commanded.

"Alright, alright" he put his hands up in surrender, the smile still plastered on his face as he winked at her. She sighed in annoyance as she pulled another out. Bengali charged back towards the ship with the caught fish in his pack as she handed the second earpiece to Lion-o.

"Thank you" he said softly.

"Communication is key in unknown terrain. Sorry, I forgot to give them to each member before I left."

"No harm done, I didn't know you had these." Lion-o watched as she pulled in five more piranhas before they started to disperse, knowing that they were being hunted instead of being the hunters. She cleaned them quickly and stored them in Lion-o's pack.

"Go. When you get back I'll be a bit further up ahead" she told him. He nodded as he raced back to the ship, with Bengali in the kitchen placing his fish in the freezer.

"I'll race you back to the river" Bengali chuckled.

"You're on" Lion-o smirked as he pushed the last of his fish into the pull out freezer drawer and charged after Bengali.

"Too slow your majesty! Gotta get faster or you'll never win!" Bengali yelled behind him as he pushed past a plant with huge leaves, Lion-o hot on his tail.

"In two different races…" he huffed to himself as they headed back to where Kalihara said she would be. Bengali stopped right at the first clearing, staring at something. Lion-o stopped right next to him as they both stared. Walking carefully through the clearing, pecking at the ground and looking around, was a large bird that looked similar to a turkey. The Cassowary craned its neck at one hole that was thought to be a nest for rodents.

"Looks like something we can barbeque, if I can catch it" Bengali said as he elbowed Lion-o in the arm. Lion-o turned his vision to the white tiger just as he started to circle around the clearing, trying to move slowly to get a bead on the bird. It looked at Lion-o for a moment, not noticing him moving as Bengali tried to keep to the shadows.

"Not if I get him first" Lion-o whispered out as he circled in the other direction. When they were opposite of each other, they both in unison bolted forward with their weapons raised to attack the cassowary. The bird flapped its useless wings as it bolted to one side of the clearing, with Lion-o rolling to head it off as it scrambled to get away.

"I got it! I got it!" Lion-o yelled as he tried to strike at the ground. The bird squawked as it ran around the clearing.

"Gonna tenderize this overgrown chicken!" Bengali yelled as he slammed his hammer down towards the bird, as the feathered creature dodged barely past the blunt instrument of its demise, heading away from the white tiger as he charged after him.

"Almost…" Lion-o grunted as he followed, but what neither of them realized was the bird was trying to flap its wings and get into the air, and just barely missed a snare it hopped over in its futile attempt to fly…

"WHA!" Bengali yelped as he was suddenly flung into the air upside down with the snare wrapped around his leg. He dangled backwards and bowled Lion-o over as he spun around in a lazy arc.

"Ooph!" Lion-o grunted as he fell on his back. The bird squawked as it slid, its exit blocked by a large boulder. Lion-o got to his feet just as the bird shot between his legs.

"Catch him!" Bengali barked as he struggled to get himself free. He forgot that the lines used were an entwined metal weave, and almost impossible to cut in the event they caught something with razor sharp teeth. Lion-o did a one eighty as he ran after the bird and leapt, grabbing onto one of its legs before it could shoot off into the bushes.

"Got you!" He laughed out just as he heard a low squeal and snarl.

"What the…" he muttered out as a pair of yellow eyes appeared in the shadows ahead of him. He rolled to the right just as a very large boar charged inwards to run him over or ram its tusks into Lion-o's head. He tried to keep a hold of the bird as it struggled to get away while also fending off the angry boar, which was almost as large as he was.

"Alright, if it's a fight you want…" the young king growled as he brought the sword of omens in front of him. Suddenly, the cassowary pecked his arm, making him immediately let go of its leg.

"Yeouch! Hey! Get back here!" he snapped as the bird took off into the bushes. He wanted to head after it just as the boar charged him, his attention straying from the large beast. He rolled to the side and got to his feet, mud covering his armor and face as he stood up. The squeal of the boar was one of anger as it didn't even turn, bucking its back hooves at the nearby king, and cutting his arm as he tried to back up. He grunted in pain as Bengali desperately fought with the snare, finally getting it to let him go and drop him on the ground.

"Fine, bacon it is" the blacksmith said as he got up only to be bowled over by the large boar. He braced himself against the tusks with his hammer, as he was pressed against the ground and fought to keep the animal from crushing him. Lion-o rushed to try and strike at its hide, attempting to ram the blade of the sword straight into the shoulder of the creature. It backed off just as Bengali pushed up, with Lion-o nearly tripping over the tiger's legs. Both went crashing to the ground as the boar realized it was fighting two hostile entities. Just then, Kalihara came crashing through the leaves with her rifle ready, wondering what the commotion was all about. She saw the boar, aimed and fired just as it ran through the bushes away from the clearing.

"Frack!" she cursed, turning her attention to the two men picking themselves off the ground. They were both covered in mud with a few feathers stuck to their pants.

"You mind telling me what just happened?" she snapped at them, looking around at the clearing.

"We saw a large turkey stalking through the area and thought we could catch it. We got ambushed right when we caught it by the boar" Bengali explained.

"Yeah, boars tend to wonder why there's commotion in their territory! If something is hostile to its den which might be nearby, they investigate!" she yelled at him.

"Oops…" he muttered out as he flinched from her berating.

"We nearly had that turkey…" Lion-o said as he looked at the bushes both animals had run off through.

"You mean the cassowary? It's flightless! You could have just let the snares catch it!" she roared at him. He was a little annoyed that she had yelled at him.

"Hey, we tried our… best…" he tried to speak up for himself, but was deflated as Kalihara walked over to a trap that was broken. She picked it up and looked it over, and then glanced at Lion-o.

"You're scuffle just took out most of our chances to catch the smaller animals, as the traps are in shambles and the ruckus has sent them into hiding" she told him quietly. She closed her eyes and sighed in disappointment. Bengali and Lion-o just stood there, not knowing how to fix what they had caused. They could have easily caught the bird if they had just let it walk into one of the snares, but they both had to prove who was better, who was a decent hunter.

"Maybe… maybe if we head after that boar, we could take it down and bring it back" Lion-o suggested.

"Boars tend to be in packs Lion-o, or what are called sounders. You take on one, you better expect to take on others. We don't even know if that was a full grown one!" she remarked, frustrated with their tangle with a bird. That they lost.

"We tried our best Kalihara, it's not like we meant for this to happen" Lion-o tried to stand up for himself, as even though he felt guilty, he felt the inner need to show he was dominant.

"And where did that get you? No caught game, destroyed all the traps I have. Hopefully Cheetara is having better luck with the cubs." Kalihara turned around and walked past a giant leaf, as Lion-o and Bengali looked at each other. They had screwed things up. They had to make things right with her. Both headed after her, doing what they could to help her for the next two hours. At one point, Lion-o pulled open a rotting log in hopes of getting more grubs, but he disturbed multiple wasp nests that came after them. Kalihara was annoyed after that as she was trying to catch what looked like an unknowing muskrat. When the wasps started to buzz around, each the size of their fists, all three cut and ran, with Kalihara wondering why they were agitated, and who riled them up. When Bengali tried to knock a sleeping Binturong out of a tree above, he didn't think about the cone seeds that could drop from the top of the tree and land… on the lioness's head.

"Ouch! What the…" she yelped as she held her head and looked at Bengali. He looked sheepish as she was fuming.

"That's it. I've had it. The game is all scared off with you two nearby. Both of you, back to the ship. I'm doing this the way I should have from the start. Alone" she snapped as she pointed in the direction of the Feliner.

"We're trying alright? Easy" Bengali tried to calm her down.

"Trying won't help the others! You learn BEFORE you enter the biome! I don't have time to teach either of you while there are five other lives beyond yours that I'm trying to help keep fed! Go help Tygra with the water" she commanded.

"Now just a minute, all we're doing is trying to help. You don't think we can't hunt? We're cats for crying out loud. It's in our blood" Lion-o retorted.

"Fine. Hunt. Away from me." Kalihara engaged her mask and dropped her goggles. She immediately turned on her active camouflage and disappeared from view.

"You gotta be… Kalihara! Wait!" Lion-o yelled out as he shot his hand out. She was gone, with almost no sound as she didn't even move a leaf out of the way to get away from the two men. Both of them sighed as they realized they had gotten in her way and really didn't help at all. They simply wanted to be near her.

"Way to go your majesty" Bengali grumbled.

"How is this thing my fault? If you hadn't knocked her on the head with that cone, we wouldn't be in this mess!" Lion-o snapped back.

"You setting the insect nation upon her wasn't the brightest idea either, king."

Both of them started arguing, with each trying to raise their voice higher and higher. What they didn't expect was the boar sounder being nearby. Both shot out from the position they were at as the stampede of boars came charging after them.

"Why do you have to make so much noise?" Lion-o huffed as he ran next to Bengali.

"Me? I'm not the one sounding like a bellow attached to a flute!" the white tiger quickly spat out as he kept pace with the wild boars hot on their heels.

**[Two Days Later]**

Lion-o walked to the ramp with another two jerry cans full. Tygra had found a very easy way to get water to drop from high above on a sort of slide system made out of leaves, turning the tree tops into a collection system to easily get clean water. He had his moments when he needed them. Cheetara and the cubs had collected a wide assortment of fruits and small plants that were edible that they brought to the ship, though they had to be careful as the wildlife also feasted on the sweet tree born food. Bengali was carrying four jerry cans as opposed to Lion-o's two, and both stayed away from each other. They now each knew that the other was after Kalihara and they didn't like each other. The problem was the lioness was nowhere to be seen for the past two days after she left them.

"Alright, we're all full up… now what are you two so uppity about?" Panthro said as he looked between Lion-o and Bengali. They glanced at each other and turned their heads in the opposite direction with a humph! Escaping their lips.

"Girl troubles" Cheetara whispered into Panthro's ear.

"Oh great… not again…" Panthro groaned. He remembered what happened with Cheetara and the two brothers. Lion-o just didn't know that she was in love with Tygra from the get go. Panthro didn't really notice the so called "mixed signals" that she put out towards Lion-o, but that was completely different from the no signals that Kalihara was putting out. She didn't show any attraction to either Lion-o or Bengali. The only male she paid any attention to was Kat, and that was simply mothering him and his sister. She never really argued with anyone on the ship, she kept to herself on almost all occasions unless someone was seeking her out, and was generally a quiet member of the team on board. He rather liked her being around due to her knowledge of basic maintenance in the ship, her survival skills, and especially her cooking. Now that Kitsune was off the ship, she seemed to have become the designated chef of the Feliner.

"Where is she anyways?" Kit asked as she brought another basket of fruit in.

"I… don't know… she abandoned us when we were getting on her nerves while hunting…" Lion-o told her.

"Serves you right. We could have used the help with getting the leaves in place, but you went traipsing off without knowing what you were doing" Panthro commented as he closed the lid of the water tank and closed the maintenance panels. There were four panels near the bedrooms that could be removed to work on fuel, power, and water systems when needed.

"We were trying to help alright!" Lion-o snapped at his General.

"And what did that get you? You destroyed all of her work, all because you two are being driven by hormones! She'll be back soon enough, and more than likely she's figured some way of bringing in a haul" the old Panther retorted.

"Or she could be hurt…" Lion-o whispered. He was guilt ridden as he and Bengali had bungled the entire trap location for her.

"Here she comes now" Tygra pointed as in the distance they saw a figure wearing a poncho slowly walk towards the ship, dragging a makeshift stretcher behind her and a multi-tiered line over her shoulder with multiple strung up rodents and two small birds. Lying on the stretcher was some odd creature that looked similar to a deer mixed with a goat. At first Kit and Kat were a little worried that she had killed one of the creatures that they had saved so long ago, but relaxed when they saw the jagged teeth in its mouth. For all they knew, it was hunting the lioness and she just happened to take it out first.

"Huh, a juicy steak doesn't sound half bad" Panthro chuckled as she didn't say a word while veering off to a small pool and dropped the stretcher. Her body language showed that she was tired, as she stretched backwards and pressed her hands to her back to work out any kinks.

"We should-" Bengali started just as Panthro's hand settled on his shoulder.

"I wouldn't" Cheetara chipped in as they all watched her pull her knife out and start to skin the beast, with Kit and Kat turning their eyes away.

"Come on, inside out of the rain, she doesn't need a crowd watching her do her thing" Panthro ordered as the others walked in, leaving Lion-o gazing at Kalihara while she skinned each animal and cut out the meat. He couldn't see her face under the poncho hood, as water dripped from every part of her clothes.

**[Two Hours Later]**

"Wonder when she's coming in" Kat asked as he looked at the clock.

"It's getting late. She finished cutting the meat out right?" Bengali asked.

"Who cares? If she wants to hang out in the pouring rain, let her. It's her choice, leave her be" Tygra commented.

"I care Tygra. She could get sick if she stays out there for much longer, if she isn't already" Lion-o remarked as he got up from his chair and walked out of the kitchen and headed towards the bulkhead door. Bengali was hot on his heels as they both walked right in front of her bedroom just as Kalihara came through the hallway entrance, dripping water from her poncho. They both stood there watching as she dragged her feet, her body utterly exhausted. She had spent the last two hours not only cleaning the bodies of the animals she caught, but getting rid of the bones and remainder internals that she didn't get when she bagged the critters so that predators didn't come sniffing around the ship.

"You look like you're exhausted" Bengali said quietly as she stood in front of them.

"Way to go Captain Obvious" Lion-o said as he frowned at the white tiger.

"Is there anything you need?" the blacksmith ignored Lion-o as he offered to get her anything.

"Yeah, you've been out there for a while. Something hot to drink?" Lion-o asked.

"Bengali. Lion-o. I have been hunting for two days, and field cleaned and stripped every carcass that I brought back. It is currently pouring cats and dogs outside. You two are both blocking me from my bedroom. That is not a wise decision. Move" she said in an almost sickly sweet tone, though her voice dripped venom. Neither of them could see much of her face beyond her mouth under the hood. The men immediately slid away from the door as she hit the control panel and walked through, the sliding entrance closing behind her.

"Definitely bad mood" Bengali gulped out.

"Yup" Lion-o agreed. Both heard a sneeze from the other side of the door.

"Whiskers… and she's sick" the young king grimaced.

"Hey, just a heads up, don't use the showers for a few more hours while the water heats up" Panthro said from the kitchen.

"Wait, what do you mean?" Lion-o asked.

"The water, it hasn't had time to get to a decent temperature yet in the heating unit. Just give it a few hours and we can get cleaned up" the old General told them.

"Wait… you don't think…" Bengali started to ask Lion-o.

"COLD!" Kalihara yelped from inside her bedroom.

"Great…" Lion-o sighed as he heard the yell out from the lioness inside her bedroom.

"Maybe she'll cheer up once she sees the gift I made her" Bengali chuckled as he walked towards his own room.

"Wait, a gift? He hasn't had time to get her… did he make her one?" Lion-o whispered to himself. He didn't like the idea that he had time to make, let alone find something to give the soldier. He came back with a wrapped package and knocked on her door.

"Unless it's an emergency, go away please" Kalihara yelled from inside her room, followed by a cough. It was no shock that she was sick after being out in the rain for two days.

"Just one minute, I promise you won't be disappointed" Bengali said through the door.

"I really don't think she's interested" Lion-o commented as he backed away from the door.

"It's foolproof" the white tiger smiled, oblivious to the condition the lioness was in. The door slid open with Kalihara standing in her cargo pants and green tank top, a blanket around her shoulders and a towel still being rubbed through her head. She had a toothbrush in her mouth, and her eyes looked somewhat bloodshot.

"Uh… you don't look well… here, I made a gift for you" the blacksmith said as he leaned against the doorframe and held out the package. Kalihara seemed disinterested in the object, but took it cautiously and unwrapped it. Inside, made out of polished metal, was a picture frame. The edges looked to be engraved with metal vines and roses, as well as small leaves. It looked to be just the right size for the picture of her family.

"It's… beautiful… when did you find the time to make this?" she asked.

"I made the time; you're worth it. I hope you like it" Bengali said softly. She ran her fingers around the sides, and wondered where he found the glass. Lion-o grimaced, as he had yet to find a gift to give her, and wasn't very skilled when it came to making anything. Even when he had to make a sword to win back the sword of omens, he had no idea what he was doing, and would have ran into battle with just a long iron bar if he needed to. His thoughts carried back quickly as Kalihara coughed.

"You really don't look so good. You need a hot meal. Come on, I'll cook" Bengali told her quietly.

"What I need is rest. I'll be fine after a few hours of downtime" she replied with a stuffed up nose.

"You need to keep your strength up. A full stomach will help fight the illness off. Please?" the white tiger pleaded. Lion-o didn't like seeing her in such a state.

"I'll make you some tea. Cheetara brought back some leaves that might have medicinal properties" Lion-o offered.

"I can do that while cooking" Bengali said to him, a little irked he was trying to push his way into helping her get better.

"Cheetara showed me how to clip the leaves just right to allow the tea to steep properly Bengali. I know what I'm doing" Lion-o retorted. Despite the young king not knowing how to hunt and trap like Kalihara, he did learn a few things here and there from Cheetara, and he was always up for learning anything else that could make their lives easier. It was his job to look out for everyone; if he found a way to lessen the burden and provide in some form, then he would do it.

"It can't be that hard" the blacksmith grumbled out.

**[Twenty Minutes Later]**

"Yuck" Kalihara spat the tea out as she pushed the mug away. Bengali looked dumbfounded. The move by the lioness was followed by another sneeze and a soft groan.

"See? Stick to the cooking, I'll handle this" Lion-o told him as Bengali went back to the corner to cook the meat and vegetables. Lion-o took a knife and cut the leaves in crisscross pattern and placed them into a new mug, removing the stems along the way. He then poured the boiling water into the same mug and added some sour juice from a fruit that Kit had found. The fruit was very similar to a lemon. As the young king poured some honey into the cup, Kalihara coughed again.

"You could have come back earlier you know, staying out there in the rain could have killed you" Lion-o said over his shoulder as he took a spoon and stirred the cup.

"I couldn't afford the wait after you two destroyed the traps. I could have repaired them, but that would take too long. By the way, I caught that cassowary" she grumbled out. Both men looked over their shoulders at her and blinked.

"Snare?" Lion-o winced.

"A cone seed. Simple as that. I hit it in the head" she replied. Her voice started to sound hoarse and seemed like she couldn't reach a certain decibel level. She probably couldn't yell, and even if she did, it would just come out sounding like wind going through a broken whistle.

"Why didn't you shoot it?" Bengali asked.

"I was up in a tree and I happen to notice it pecking around down below. Angle was right below me, so I just dropped the seed right on top of it. Silent, efficient, and considering the seed nearly knocked me out-" Kalihara glared at Bengali "-I figured it would take the little bugger out for me. Firing would have scared other game away." Bengali winced and turned around with a halfhearted chuckle, guilt washed over his face as he continued cooking.

"You're gonna burn the meat" Lion-o whispered to him as he pressed down on the slab of flesh cooking on the skillet.

"I know what I'm doing, unlike some people who always get fed by servants, your majesty" Bengali retorted. Lion-o pursed his lips in a frown, a light growl coming from his throat. The white tiger stirred the vegetables in another pan as he threw in some wild garlic. Once the cooking and tea was done, they both turned around and carried the consumables towards Kalihara, who seemed to be in a brain shutdown mode already while she sat at the table.

"Dinner is served" the blacksmith said with a smile as he set her plate down while Lion-o put the mug for her to drink on the table. She sipped at the cup tentatively, and once she found the taste completely different from the previous flavor, took a shallow gulp. The lioness inhaled the vapors coming from the tea right after.

"Better?" the young king asked. She nodded as the flavor had changed from the bitter taste from before into a somewhat sweet mint with a slight punch of citrus from the lemon fruit. Lion-o glanced at Bengali, who snorted in response.

"Here, try the food." The white tiger pushed the plate an inch closer.

"Let her enjoy her tea first." Lion-o glared at Bengali who seemed to be doing his best to take her attention off the drink that the lion had made for her. She coughed harshly once more, with both of them frowning.

"Get some rest after this" Bengali told her quietly.

"I -**cough**- intend to" she replied. Right as she took a bite from the meal the white tiger had made for her, the cubs walked in with Panthro behind them.

"Kali! You made it back!" Kit cheered as they came towards her.

"You don't want to catch what I have you two. Best stay back for a bit" she told them with her stuffed up nose changing the sound of her voice. Both looked worried as they looked up at Panthro.

"Shouldn't have stayed out so long. You could have asked Cheetara and me to help pick up the slack" the old General told her.

"I didn't know you two-" Kalihara sneezed "-were more proficient with hunting than these two. Had I known, I would have taken you up on your offer. Spilled milk, can't fix it. I'll be fine in a few days" she told him as she cleared her throat.

"Yeah, I saw these two coming back with their tails between their legs, though I didn't know why. Lion-o, when we get some free time, we definitely have to teach you some survival training" Panthro chuckled.

"Give me a break alright? Until a few months ago I never had to know the difference between one bird from another. Had I known this was what a rainforest was like, I would have asked my father to let me learn about it" Lion-o snapped at his General.

"I have to sort of agree with him on that. Dad taught us how to run Thundera, not survive out here" Tygra chipped in.

"Calm down, it wasn't aimed at you directly. You still have your strengths your highness, but hunting isn't one of them. We've all proven we have something to offer here… just some of those skills aren't very useful in the ship" Panthro told him as he glanced at the cubs.

"Except his strengths lie in other avenues, not in the physical sense" Bengali muttered.

"What was that?" Lion-o snapped, glaring at him.

"I'm just saying, you've never had to actually work a day in your life, so, well, it kind of shows. You'll eventually be on the same playing field as everyone else, and that should make you a better king" Bengali explained. Lion-o growled at him.

"Are you saying I'm weak? I've had to train since I was just a cub in sword techniques. I'm just as able as you are" the young king snapped.

"I don't think this is really-" Kalihara said in a stuffed up voice.

"Wanna prove it?" Bengali asked.

"You're on" Lion-o retorted as they sat down and shot their arms out.

"Guys, I don't think you should-" Panthro started to say. They clapped their hands together and counted to three.

"This is not a good idea…" Kat groaned out to his sister. Both men started arm wrestling, with Lion-o having the advantage at the beginning because of using his sword arm, while Bengali had swapped to his other arm, which he didn't hammer metalwork in the furnace or bend materials with. Lion-o pushed his arm beyond the forty-five degree angle and was almost winning when Bengali smiled and started to push his arm in the other direction.

"Guys, this really isn't the best spot to-" Kalihara tried to say just as Bengali slammed Lion-o's arm into the table… and knocked her plate up into the air with the food landing on her. The mug of tea spilled all along the edge and onto the floor.

"I wi-… uh oh" Bengali said as he looked at Kalihara. She sat there with a cold look on her face, a frown emblazoned on her mouth with sauce on her clothes and vegetables covering her. The meat was sitting in her lap. Her tea was still dripping off the table, with some of it landing on her pants. Everyone was silent.

"Please tell me the water is heated now" she tried to calmly ask, though her voice sounded as if it was fighting to dam a flash flood of anger.

"Not for another hour. At best it would be lukewarm. I'm sorry" Panthro told her as his arms were crossed over his chest, his eyes closed as he waited for the anger to burst forth with her yelling at the two men sitting next to her. She stood up with the blanket still around her shoulders and dragged her feet towards the exit.

"Kalihara we're-" Lion-o started to say, but she didn't care.

"Sorry…" he trailed off as she left, opened the door to her room, and walked in with the entrance sealing shut behind.

"You two made the mess, you clean it up. That's what you always tell us" Kat said as Kit nodded in agreement.

"I agree as well" Panthro told the two hormone driving men as they looked sheepish after the debacle they just caused. Once they had finished cleaning up, Panthro told them both to head to their bedrooms and leave the woman alone. She had earned her time alone to rest and recuperate. When everyone had gone to bed, Lion-o snuck out of his room and went over to Kalihara's door and knocked on it.

"Kalihara, it's me. Look… I… I'm sorry about what happened, and I'm sorry we messed up your hunting. I'll make it up to you somehow. I don't know how yet, but I'll do it… so… again, I'm really sorry…" he spoke through the door. No response. He walked away from her door and back to his own room, glancing over his shoulder one more time as he entered. Just as his door was about to close, he saw Bengali sneak out of his room and walk to her door as well.

"Hey, it's Bengali. Yeah, look, I'm sorry about everything that's happened, and I really hope you liked the picture frame. If there's anything I can do to fix this, just say the word. I'll do anything to make it up to you. So, well, sleep well ok? Sweet dreams." The white tiger snuck back to his room and closed the door. Lion-o sighed. When he was trying to get Cheetara to like him, he didn't do stupid stunts with Tygra to make her notice him, as she was already giving him pecks on the cheek or putting her hand on his. When he was trying to get Pumyra to like him, he didn't have any competition. Now, with a seasoned soldier that had had a family in the past, as well as someone else trying to vie for her attention… he didn't really know what to do. He thought over what he had done right with Pumyra, even though she was a spy for Mumm-ra. She had liked him because he tried to "man up" as Tygra had told him. He needed to be himself; that was why Pumyra had noticed him as more than someone she was traveling with. He had to be a stronger king, a stronger man. He wasn't proving anything with his bickering with Bengali.

"Tomorrow, I promise. Things will be different" Lion-o whispered to himself as he flopped on his bed and stared at the ceiling, the vision of Kalihara sitting at the table sneezing and ill running through his mind. He had never seen her weak in the past, and had shown she was in some cases a super soldier. He was amazed at what she could do, what she had, but in the end she was just like them, another cat with some high tech equipment. She bled and got sick just like they did. The young king rolled on his side as he hoped she was sleeping well without coughing and sneezing keeping her awake. He heard some faint scratching noises coming from the ceiling, but they quickly disappeared. He fell asleep after a few minutes of silence.

**[Morning]**

Lion-o woke up as early as he could. It was a new day, and a new chance to prove what he was capable of. No more messing around; he'd show that he was chosen by the Sword of Omens for a reason, that he was a responsible king and took care of his subjects, even though Kalihara wasn't from his planet. He took a shower with care, as he wondered if the heating unit had gotten the water to the required temperature, which it did. After his fur was blow dried, he quickly pulled his clothes on and snapped his armor in place, and went to the kitchen immediately. He dug out some eggs from the fridge that Cheetara was able to grab on her gathering trips, and took a deep breath.

"I gotta do this right. If it isn't done well, I have to make it again" he told himself. The young king cracked the eggs carefully on the side of a bowl and started to whip the eggs into a liquid. He didn't do it for long, as he started to pull whatever vegetables he found in the fridge.

"Someone is up early" Cheetara said from behind him. He turned around to see her walk through the door into the kitchen.

"Hey, yeah, I figured I'd make up for the bungle I caused in the past few days for Kalihara. Here's hoping I've learned my lesson. Which vegetables should I cut up for an omelet? I've… I'm willing to admit I've never made one" he asked. He held up multiple veggies in his hands as she cocked an eyebrow and smirked.

"Asking for help? That's… noble of you. And you're admitting you're wrong. What have you done with Lion-o, and who are you?" she asked with a slight chuckle.

"I'm trying Cheetara. I really am. I… I'd like to put things right with her. I'll take any help I can muster" he replied.

"The chives, onions and mushrooms. The mushrooms aren't from around here, so they aren't poisonous" she told him.

"Thank you" he responded as he turned around and got to work. Cheetara opened the fridge and grabbed a canister of orange juice, as they had found a wild grove a few days ago that they had pulled a whole cargo container full of oranges from. The kitchen happened to have a built in juicer for any fruits found along their travels. The young king started to cut up the vegetables and mix them into the runny eggs, and poured the mixture carefully onto the pan. He flipped it with extreme care, wanting it to be fluffy. Cheetara grinned as she saw the effort he was putting into the breakfast. Once he had the omelet finished, he pulled some meat and diced it into small cubes, which he cooked with the remaining potatoes and onions he had already cut up, turning it into home fries.

"I'd suggest adding some fruit to that" Cheetara told him from behind as she finished the glass.

"Really? Alright… hey, why are you up so early as well?" he asked as he pulled a banana, a papaya and mango and cut them up to make a small fruit bowl.

"I always wake up at this time to meditate. It clears my mind for the day, helps me focus and allows me to keep my patience" she replied.

"Did… was that part of your training with Jaga?" he asked.

"Part of it. It helps a Cleric look towards the future, and any consequences if we jump to any conclusions. It also helps get rid of any tension we previously had from the other day" Cheetara told him.

"Maybe I should start doing that. Later, would you mind teaching me?" he asked. She raised her eyebrows.

"Now I definitely don't recognize you" she giggled out.

"I'm serious. If I'm going to be a better king, I need to do it with a clear mind… and… well…" Lion-o trailed off as he scratched his chin, his eyes avoiding hers.

"Prove to a certain lioness that you have what it takes?" she asked.

"That's part of it. I just… I've been thinking about how I should tell her how I feel, and with Bengali in the mix… I feel like I need to fight just to get her to notice me while he just… waltzes in and helps with everything" he explained.

"'He also talks to her like she's some princess and not a warrior. At least you treat her like she means something other than a warm body in bed. If he learned that his flirting wasn't what she wanted, then you'd be in big trouble" she advised.

"Wait, he's always going to treat her like that" Lion-o responded.

"I think he says what he says because he doesn't know she doesn't like it. If he found out, he'd change how he acted around her. When push comes to shove, he'll bow to her. Be careful. Love was always a battlefield" Cheetara finished, and walked out of the kitchen. He sighed and took a deep breath. He knew it wouldn't be easy, just like he knew being king wouldn't be easy. Rajah had told him to not give up unless she gave a definite answer of how she felt.

Once he was finished, he surveyed what he had made. The meal actually looked quite appetizing, as he realized with all the care he put into it that it looked similar to the meals the servants would place in front of him at the lair. He quickly poured a glass of orange juice and placed everything on a carrying tray, and walked to her bedroom. He had made breakfast in bed for her.

"Kalihara?" he asked as he stood in front of the door. He set the tray down and knocked on the door.

"Are you there?" he asked again, and opened the door. She wasn't inside. Snarf was curled up on her blanket. He wondered where he had gone in the middle of the night. Apparently he liked sleeping with her more than him now, or maybe he alternated with both of them. He liked that prospect more.

"Guess not…" he whispered to himself as he picked up the tray and walked through the bulkhead door and looked around. The ramp outside was open, and for once it wasn't raining outside. He set the tray down and walked down the ramp. As he looked around, he noticed Kalihara staring up at the side of the ship, her boots on along with the now clean blanket. She was in brown cargo pants and a grey tank top, with Thunderian Special Forces stenciled into it.

"Kalihara?" he asked as he walked over. She noticed him and looked into his eyes, and he could see she was still quite sick.

"What are you doing outside? You should be resting" he asked as he looked at where she was staring at.

"Someone decided to nest under the wing flaps of the Feliner during-" she coughed and sneezed right after "-the rainstorm. Take a look." Lion-o squinted as he looked under the flap. There, nestled under the metal, keeping away from the small drips of water coming from the corners, was a group of six birds that looked to be a cross between a swan and a quetzal. There were two younglings huddled against one in the back, the mother no doubt. They all were awake and looking at the two lions below.

"Wow…" he said quietly, trying not to scare them.

"Looks like we had company for the night. Can't say I blame them. Poor things. I'll let Tygra know to be careful with launching so we don't cook our feathered friends" she told him with a sniffle.

"Yeah… hey, you shouldn't be out in the cold. I… I uh, made you breakfast, to make up for what happened last night. Again, I'm sorry for what happened" he told her as he motioned for the ramp.

"No harm, no foul. Just glad I didn't get burned by the tea" she responded as they both saw the cubs and the others come outside.

"Hey, where's that scratching coming from?" Tygra asked as he yawned. None of them were really awake except Cheetara.

"Up there" Lion-o said as he pointed.

"Aww, they're so cute! And they're really beautiful" Kit giggled as everyone looked at the birds. One of them stretched its wings, and everyone was in awe at the rainbow of blue, green and yellow covering the feathers, and a red and white belly. Their tails were incredibly long and of similar color, though the females showed far more pearl white than the males.

"Hopefully they'll stick around for a little bit. A nice view to wake up to every morning until we find the stone" Panthro commented from the back.

"You want them to stay? I didn't think there was a softer side to you Panthro" Tygra quipped.

"What? I like decent scenery as much as the next person. At least they aren't trying to attack us or tear up the ship. I'm fine with them staying as long as they leave when we do" the General huffed out.

"Hey, um…" Lion-o whispered to Kalihara.

"Yeah yeah, you made breakfast, and it'll get cold" she mumbled out.

"Sorry" he said softly.

"Don't worry about it, they'll be there later more than likely, and I need to get some more rest" she replied as she let out a yawn and sneezed. As they both walked back to the ramp, passing Bengali in the process, Kalihara spoke one last time.

"They are beautiful creatures though." Lion-o nodded in agreement. Bengali watched her go up the ramp and got an idea. He started to climb up the side of the ship and slid along the rails of the wing.

"Hey, Bengali, that's not a good idea. What are you trying to do?" Kat asked.

"Trying to get himself killed is the most obvious reason" Panthro grumbled.

"Oh come on, don't mess with them! You'll make them leave!" Kit yelled up at him.

"I'm not gonna mess with all of them, I'm just gonna see if I can catch one. Could make a nice pet for someone" he replied to the group down below.

"No! Don't! You could hurt them! They didn't do anything to us! This is their natural environment!" Kat yelled up with his hands cupped around his mouth.

"Seriously, bad idea" Tygra remarked as he watched the white tiger start to move towards the small flock. The birds cowered towards the back of the flap, with nowhere to go.

"You're being mean! Leave them alone!" Kat yelled out.

"It's just one, the others I won't touch. I'll take good care of it I promise" Bengali said from his vantage point. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Kat threw his grapple up and wrapped it around his leg.

"What the…" he muttered out quickly as he lost his footing a bit.

"Ok, that's enough, that's asking for problems…" Panthro said as he walked up to stop Kat. Just as he reached the cub, the birds made a dash for it, flying by Bengali's face. He tried to reach out and grab at one while still keeping his balance.

"What's going on out here?" Kalihara asked as both she and Lion-o walked back outside to figure out what the yelling was about.

"Look out!" Tygra yelled just as Bengali fell off the side and landed right on top of Kalihara. He was flattened on top of her as she lay on her back, the wind knocked out of her.

"Ack!... my shoulder…" Bengali winced as he looked at who had broken his fall. She rolled to her side and started coughing, the wetness of the dirt below soaking into her back and fur.

"Nice one" Lion-o snapped as he helped her up. She was still coughing for a good minute as he helped her up the ramp, glaring at Bengali at every available opportunity.

"I was just trying to get a mascot for the ship" he muttered out.

"We have one! It's snarf!" Kit snapped at him. She stuck her tongue out at him as she pulled the bottom of her eyelid down, with Kat ignoring him. Bengali sighed as he apologized to everyone.

"Apologize to Kalihara, you landed on her" Cheetara told him.

"Yeah…" he whispered to himself as they all walked back inside the ship, the bird flock now abandoning their new home for another roost. Kalihara was sitting eating the food Lion-o had made, and was enjoying it quite a bit. Afterwards she entered her bedroom for a bit and took a shower, washing off the dirt and dried her fur. Lion-o just glared at Bengali while everyone got ready for the day, early as it was.

"What? Girls like gifts. I haven't seen you give her one" the white tiger said as he sat in the cargo bay.

"Gifts aren't always necessary" Cheetara said as she walked by both of them and looked over Tygra's shoulder in the cockpit.

"Still there. It's deeper into the forest than I expected. Gonna be a hike" the tiger prince told her quietly. Kalihara walked out at that moment, fully adorned with her combat armor and MOLE vest.

"You don't need to come Kalihara, we can go do this while you rest" Lion-o told her blinking in surprise.

"You'll need everyone if Mumm-ra is searching for the stone in the same place. You need a sniper" she responded as she coughed.

"Seriously, even I'm admitting you need to relax. Get some more sleep, drink some more juice-" Tygra started to say.

"Kalihara, face it. You're no good to us sick. Stay here" Panthro jumped in.

"Soldiers keep going unless there's a medical disability. I don't stop unless one of my limbs is blown off Panthro. Can it" she snapped at him, a low growl coming from her throat, though it seemed garbled with the flem and mucus. Panthro humphed and crossed his arms.

"Fine then, do what you want, but don't beg for us to slow down if you're tired" the old General replied.

"Panthro, cool it. Kalihara, are you sure about this?" Lion-o asked.

"I'll keep up, it isn't a problem" she growled. It was followed by a small sneeze. He wasn't convinced.

"Alright" he sighed as they headed out of the ship and towards the direction the book had shown them. As they headed deeper into the jungle, Lion-o kept looking behind them to see Kalihara was trailing the group, watching their flanks, but also looked worn out. He felt sorry for her, but she didn't complain once while they hiked through the leaves and trees. He was worried she'd push herself too hard and make the cold worse. After an hour in, Lion-o stopped.

"I think we should rest here" he said as the others looked in confusion.

"But we aren't tir-" Kat started to say just as they all looked behind them. Kalihara had trailed back quite a bit, and was catching up a good hundred feet away.

"Right, this is a good spot" he quickly corrected himself. The lioness sat down and breathed deep, as Lion-o noticed she seemed to be trying to get enough oxygen.

"Are you ok?" he asked her softly.

"Nothing I can't handle" she replied as she coughed. She pulled out a canteen and drank carefully, as well as a small dispenser from her pocket that she popped an orange tablet from and shoved into her mouth. She quickly chewed it and gulped some more water.

"You're not a super cat. Go easy on yourself" he told her.

"Noted" she replied as she put the canteen away. He didn't know what the Thunderian Special Forces required of its people, but to push someone like this while they were sick was poor form. If they finished defeating Mumm-ra, he'd rebuild Thundera and make sure that any specially trained forces under his command wouldn't be pushed when they were ill. He had thought long on how he'd rebuild his homeland, and realized Cheetara would have to be the next head cleric, with Tygra his right hand man and advisor.

Kalihara stood up and was ready to go after the others were rested. As the group continued on an incline and trudged through some fairly marshy terrain, Tygra immediately stopped everyone.

"Take a look. Down there" he whispered as he motioned for everyone to get down. Lion-o peeked over the side from where they were hiking, with Kalihara coming up next to him. There, far below, was a column of equines marching by, wearing what looked to be banded mail plate. Each had a spear and shield.

"Are they friendly?" Lion-o asked.

"We can always find out" Tygra replied. Kalihara coughed loudly, realizing it had given away their position. The equine soldiers stopped immediately and brought their spears and shields to a defensive stance.

"Show yourselves!" The leader yelled from below.

"Whiskers…" Lion-o whispered as he stood up, with the others following suit.

"Who are you?" The sergeant asked.

"My name is Lion-o, Lord of the Thunder Cats. We aren't here to cause trouble. We're on a mission" he yelled down from their vantage point.

"How many of you are there?" the sergeant asked.

"Eight in total" he replied.

"You're a long way from Thundera."

"We noticed. As I said, we aren't hostile. Who's in command? You've got to have a city somewhere that you came from" Lion-o asked.

"Come down here and we'll talk" the sergeant told him cautiously.

**[Twenty Minutes Later]**

The column of equine spearmen led the group of Thunder Cats down the path they were on. As they turned the corner of a hill covered in trees, they reached a dip heading down into a deep valley near the mountain the rainforest was located near. The treetops covered a large city hiding under the foliage.

"Whoa…" Lion-o said as they all looked at the walls they passed through. The architecture of the buildings was similar to that of the roman period for humans, with large white marble pillars and large stairways heading to different buildings. There also seemed to be some slight modification to some larger buildings with designs based on Machians, or the equivalent to the human Aztecs and their ziggurats, though with marble pillars and a flat ceiling covering over the top. Citizens of the city walked by them wearing white and red robes, with other soldiers in the distance. Despite the ancient design of the buildings, there was technology, with metal plating on certain smaller buildings for the police force, fire hydrants, and what looked like drainage ditches. The whole city seemed to be bordering the mountain with a lake to the south. The palace seemed to be right next to the lake, to provide a scenic view.

"This place is…" Cheetara started to say.

"Beautiful" Kit finished as the cubs looked around.

"Thundera isn't the only prosperous area. Most of the other races were fine with settling near you Thunderians, picking up what they could while your kind took the best hunting grounds and farmlands. We chose a long time ago that we would spread much further than any other. We are equine, stallion or mare it makes no difference, for we chose to remove ourselves from your shadow and create our own" the sergeant told them.

"I'm sorry, Sergeant um…" Lion-o tried to find out his name.

"My name is Abraxas. I will take you to Emperor Ahern" the sergeant told him. The column of soldiers escorted the group of cats down many streets until they were in front of a huge palace. Abraxas let his column of soldiers return to their barracks while he brought the team up the steps, with the cats staring at different statues of older emperors long since passed. There was even a statue of an Empress. It seemed there was no such care of which sex their leader was, so long as they could rule with care and competence. The group headed past royal guards, each easily two feet taller than even Panthro, with their armor as heavy as the Silver Breakers. The equines looked to be formidable warriors if provoked. As they reached an inner chamber after many turns through lantern lit hallways, Abraxas stood at attention, slammed his fist over his chest and bowed.

"Emperor Ahern. There are visitors from Thundera. He claims to be Lord of the Thunder Cats" the sergeant said as he didn't look up from his bow. The Emperor turned around after signing off on some paperwork. The equine looked to be somewhat young, maybe his late twenties, with a long black ponytail and white hair covering his body. He had blue eyes with a small blue tattoo on his snout just above his nostrils in the shape of a delta wing. He was entirely covered in a purple robe and imprinted plate armor in the form of a muscular chest, with two amulets worn around his neck. His hooves had what looked to be gold plated horseshoes, as a full gold band would be too soft for him to stand on.

"Hmm, Thunderians? It's been a very long time since we've seen your kind around here. We aren't used to other species coming to our homes, though we are accommodating. The laws are posted, and mind your manners. What is your business here might I ask?" he said in a deep but gentle voice. He eyed each member of the team, with a scrutinizing eye on Kalihara as she seemed to be sweating in the back.

"We're trying to find a power stone from when our ancestors had landed here on Third Earth. We're trying to retrieve it before Mumm-ra does. He's come back" Lion-o explained. Ahern looked visible concerned.

"Hmm, that does pose a problem. I don't see how much help we can be for you to find this stone though."

"You mean, it isn't here?" Lion-o asked.

"We don't know of any special artifacts you are seeking. We chose not to have anything from our ancestors that we could not build or improve upon." Lion-o grimaced, as their hike would send them back empty hande aside from meeting the equines.

"That's… disappointing" the young king replied.

"I'm sorry to say, that your trip may be fruitless for what you seek. However, you have made contact with my people, and it would do us disrespect if we did not offer for you a chance to stay the day and night. We will be having a festival for three days. Be our guests for this event. Will you accept?" Ahern asked.

"That is considerate of you, but…" Lion-o turned to the rest of his team. His eyes traveled over each of his friends, only to lock onto Kalihara who seemed to be hiding behind Panthro and Tygra, drinking from her canteen. She looked wobbly.

"Staying would be advised to allow your female friend there to rest; she does not look well. Please, I will call for rooms to be made for all of you, and an apothecary to be brought to tend to her" Ahern insisted.

"How often do we get to see the sights Lion-o?" Tygra teased.

"I'd like to see how they've managed all of this" Panthro commented.

"If we're going to rebuild Thundera, we could learn a few things from their architects" Cheetara advised.

"I wonder if those birds are flying around here" Kit said to her brother.

"Do you mean the Quekans? They are native only to this area of the world. Having one land near you if you are still enough is considered good luck to my people" Abraxas spoke up.

"Really?" Kat exclaimed as Kit nodded to him.

"We have an aviary if you wish to see some, though you shouldn't immediately expect them to do that. They do what they will."

"We accept your offer then" Lion-o nodded to the Emperor as stewards came forth and escorted them to their rooms. Lion-o was walked to his room and the door was opened. Long drapes were hanging over the windows, with a large king sized bed in the middle. The floor was made of speckled marble shined to perfection, with two chairs in the corner and a large night table to the right of the bed. Behind it was an even larger dresser with two candelabras, one on each end, with a bowl of fruit in the middle.

"If there is anything you need, pull on the bell rope to the side of the door. Someone will come to assist you" the steward said as she backed out of the room.

"Uh, thank you" he replied as he walked to the window and pulled aside the drape. He could see the citizens of the city busily moving from place to place, with buckets in their hands or other items carried for their daily lives. It reminded him of his home, before the destruction the lizards brought. He missed it terribly. Even though he put on the façade of pushing on without looking back, he was homesick. Lion-o walked over to the fruit bowl and picked up an apple, threw it into the air and caught it, and bit into the sweet flesh. It was crisp and tangy, the first time in a while that he had an apple in the past few months. Oranges and bananas yes, but apples were rare without a large city to cultivate them.

Once he had finished the apple and placed the core into a separate bowl, he decided to walk out of his room and check to see if he could find something to do besides sit around. As he exited the door, he saw two mares entering Kalihara's room.

"Steep the tea carefully, and make sure she drinks the broth of the soup. It should help with her coughing" one of them said. The other nodded.

"I'll be right back with some blankets and the poultice for her chest." Lion-o was worried now. Had she pushed herself too far? As he walked up to the receding mare, she turned around and noticed him behind her.

"Yes your majesty? Is there something you need?" she asked.

"Um, sorry to bother you, but is Kalihara going to be alright? I mean, we thought it was just a cold" he said as he scratched the back of his head.

"She will be fine your majesty, it is as you say it is, we are simply calming the ailments she has. We will be taking her to the baths later to soak her joints" she replied. He thanked her as she bowed and left, with him standing there thinking. He walked to her door and knocked on it. The door opened to bring him face to face with another apothecary.

"Yes your highness?" she asked.

"Um, can I see Kalihara?" he asked.

"She is currently disrobing; it would be ill advised to see her in such a state. I am terribly sorry" she told him. He could see behind her a lithe form behind a wall of blinds, with the top of the lioness's black hair visible over it.

"Easy my dear" another apothecary told her. There was a soft groan as she put on a white robe and walked out from behind the blinds with her hair up in a messy bun. Despite the fact that she was sick, Lion-o thought she looked absolutely stunning in the dress robe. The mare in front of him turned around and noticed that she was decent and stepped aside.

"Lion-o? Something wrong?" the lioness asked. She had what looked to be two patches on her shoulders, with a red colored shawl loosely wrapped around her neck. Lion-o's jaw dropped for a moment before regaining his composure.

"Uh, wha I uh, well, I was just checking you ou, I mean checking on you, seeing how you were feeling" he stuttered out. He was fidgeting from side to side as he rubbed his forearm and looked anywhere but at her.

"I'm feeling a bit better, but just because the symptoms are lessened doesn't mean I'm not sick." Kalihara sneezed as the mare behind her walked to her side.

"Miss, we should head to the baths. The lavender salts and lava rock treatment will help remove your aches" she advised.

"Oh, don't let me keep you. I'll uh, check to see how you're doing, later. I, hope you feel better, yeah" Lion-o told her, trying to form correct sentences. She looked puzzled at his quirky attitude, noticing it was odd that he was stuttering when he was near her. She let out a light cough, sounding much better than she previously was. She'd still be sick, but at least whatever the apothecaries were doing was helping already. Kalihara nodded to the mare who led her past Lion-o and down the hallway. The mare said something amusing to the lioness, who laughed a bit before coughing after. The smile he saw made his heart skip a beat. He wished she would smile all the time. The whole hallway seemed to get brighter when she did it, though it could have been the way the lanterns were set up.

Lion-o shook himself from his daydreaming and checked on the rest of the group. The cubs went with Abraxas who took them to the aviary, and Cheetara went with Tygra to retrieve the Feliner. Apparently there was a closer clearing that they could set down inside the city, it was just hidden with pre placed tree tops that could be pulled back with ropes during the winter for extra light. It was incredible the different ways they had found out how to control their environment without industrial technology that the moles had. Panthro was busy with looking through the barracks and aqueducts while Bengali checked on their blacksmiths to see what they were making, and if it was comparable to his usual metalwork. He was not impressed, though he had learned from the best.

When evening came and the festival started, Tygra had landed the ship near the palace and was allowed a dress suit to wear as he took Cheetara as his date. Panthro kept an eye on the cubs while Bengali and Lion-o got ready. As both of them walked out and down the hall, the men realized they had no date.

"Where are you going?" Lion-o asked.

"Where are YOU going? I'm gonna go bring Kalihara to the festival. She could use a good night out" he responded as he continued up the stairs. Lion-o started to argue with him on who would bring her to the festival, as Panthro and the cubs watched.

"Those two need a cold shower" Panthro grumbled out. The cubs looked at each other and grinned. They had the perfect prank they were going to pull later. Both of them ran off into the crowd towards the Feliner, giggling as they went.

"Oh now don't cause any trouble for these people you two! Blasted kittens…" the old General snapped after them. Two apothecary mares came down the hallway as Lion-o and Bengali stood yelling at each other.

"Hey, is Kalihara coming out?" Bengali asked one of them.

"The lioness is resting at the moment. She may join the festivities later if she wishes" the mare told him. The white tiger sighed in surrender as he looked away from Lion-o. It didn't matter if they were fighting for a date, she wasn't coming with them. Both of them joined Cheetara and Tygra as they watched the parade with sparklers and bright lights. A marching band followed with columns of soldiers wearing their dress colors. The food was plentiful, with delicacies served at all food courts. As the festivities intensified, Lion-o and Bengali were pulled into a dance floor by unknown mares, and spun around in maneuvers that were left for ladies in a ball gown. Considering they were smaller than the mares, it seemed natural.

Halfway through the festival, Lion-o noticed in the distance Kalihara walking down the street, looking at the dancing and food. She took a left and headed down an alleyway away from the celebration. The young king broke away from the dance floor and followed her as she made her way to the aviary, as she hadn't yet seen it. The lioness walked carefully among the trees as she heard the soft sounds of most of the birds sleeping, though some were nocturnal. There was a deep spring in the middle with a fountain and multiple bird baths, as well as troughs with already eaten fruits and seeds. She seemed to be looking for something. As Lion-o approached from her side, he noticed her watching the Quekans in a tree. Abraxas had told him that the birds were quite friendly and didn't seem to startle easily from how used to people they were. They never came anywhere near the cats however, as they were instinctive enemies. Even the cubs couldn't get one bird to come near them, and made flocks of the other species set to the air.

The soldier leaned against a railing overlooking the fountain, and behind that, through the glass of the aviary, was the festival in the distance. She noticed Lion-o come up from her right and looked at him.

"Don't like the music?" he asked.

"I'm used to the quiet. It's peaceful here" she replied as she watched him. The moonlight accentuated her beauty in the dress she was wearing, the glow cascading over her hair. She sneezed and it broke the angelic look she had. Lion-o just gazed at her. One of the Quekans, a youngling, flew down and landed on the railing next to Kalihara. It chirped and looked at her with a tilted head. Abraxas had said it was good luck if they performed this deed. It didn't seem at all afraid of the lioness, though it kept a wary eye on Lion-o. Kalihara put her hand out carefully to the bird, and it hopped closer. The little bird jumped onto her finger as she raised her hand to look at it, with the flying animal chirping at her. Lion-o was nearly holding his breath at the sight. He took a tentative step forward, and the bird noticed this, immediately flapping its wings and flying away.

"I guess they like you" he said softly.

"I guess they do" she replied as she looked at the glass roofing, the small nests made for all different species of birds.

"I can't say I blame them. I mean, well…" he started to say as he took a deep breath. The lioness looked at him with curiosity as she stopped leaning against the rail and gazed at him.

"What's wrong?" she asked. He steeled himself as he thought of how to tell her how he felt. The aviary seemed majestic, and was a great place to explain his feelings for her.

"Kalihara, we have been traveling a ways, fought together, and lived together. I've… noticed you since you came aboard, and I wanted to say… that I… have feelings for you" he forced himself to tell her. He gave her a smile as his eyes gleamed, as it felt good to get rid of the stress of bottling up how he felt for her. There was silence between them as she blinked. He was waiting for her answer; somehow he thought the answer would be positive. She walked softly over to him, as his heart pounded with each step. The lioness stood in front of him and looked him in the eye.

"You'll get over them" she finally told him. His jaw dropped a bit as a small gasp escaped his mouth. He was in shock. She started to walk passed him as the words hit like bricks. She didn't feel the same way?

"Kalihara wait. I… I love you" he quickly said as he turned around.

"Lion-o, you barely know me" she replied over her shoulder.

"We've been in the same ship for a while!" he exclaimed.

"For less than two weeks Lion-o! That's not love, that's a crush!" she explained.

"Don't tell me how my heart feels! I care about you Kalihara, and I've tried to get to know you wherever and whenever you were willing to share" he snapped.

"Lion-o, I'm older than you. You're nineteen, emotional and hormone driven. You don't know what love is. You have your whole life to find the right one. Don't go chasing after someone like me. You need a princess" she told him.

"Look, I'm sorry for saying this, but is this about your family?" he said quickly. She narrowed her eyes as she looked at him.

"What about my family?" she asked.

"I'm sorry if my ancestors tried to kill yours, but that's in the past now. Couldn't you… couldn't you move forward? I'll do whatever I have to, to prove I love you" he pleaded. He walked up to her and reached for her hand, holding it in his own.

"Lion-o, it may have happened for you so long ago, but for me it was damned close to yesterday" she snapped. Tears seemed to be building in her eyes. He felt like an idiot. She was in a stasis pod for most of that time, and what might have been ancient history for him was three weeks ago for her.

"Kalihara… what happened? Are… are you saying something happened to your husband and cub?" he asked. She wouldn't respond, as she looked away and tried to get the tears to go away. She took a deep breath.

"Something did happen didn't it? What? Did Mumm-ra do something to your home on Thundera? They didn't die from old age did they?" Kalihara pulled her hand away and turned around.

"I don't feel ready to talk about it. Lion-o, you'll get over your feelings. You're a king; you should be looking for some princess out there. I… I don't feel well; I'm going to retire to my room" she said quickly as she headed out of the aviary.

"Kalihara wait!" Lion-o reached out to stop her, but restrained himself as she headed out and to the right, away from the festival. He balled his hands into fists as he looked at the floor. She had declined his advances towards her. What did he do wrong? Did she like Bengali? No, she said she was still getting used to being here. Bengali was only a year older than he was, so he would be in the same boat. Maybe she didn't feel the same way for him as he did for her. She was older than he was, and from what he saw on the back of the birthday picture, Not by a huge margin. She would be maybe twenty six or twenty seven with how old "Toby" looked in the picture. A thought jumped into his mind. She hadn't told him her feelings. She had told him to forget his feelings for her. It wasn't a direct answer. He still had hope.

**[Meanwhile]**

Kit and Kat had snuck back into the Feliner and were looking around in the cargo bay.

"Is this it?" Kat asked as he knocked over a jerry can.

"I think so. Panthro said those guys needed a cold shower. This should get them to realize they're just pestering her and need to calm down" Kit responded as they dragged the jerry can out of the ship and towards the bedrooms. What they didn't notice was the tags that had fallen off the jerry cans marking which was which. They carried the one they had chosen and poured it into two buckets outside, and dragged them to the top of the cargo door. There, they waited, with Snarf keeping them company. Bengali had left his hammer inside as he didn't need it while the festival was happening, and weapons were forbidden in the city. The sword of omens lay with the gauntlet in Lion-o's room, along with Tygra's whip and Cheetara's staff.

"All we gotta do is wait for Bengali and Lion-o to come back tonight. Their clothes are still in their rooms, and they can't change until they get them" Kit told her brother.

"But won't the equines provide new ones in the morning?" he asked.

"They might. Let's wait and see for a bit, then we can try later" Kit told him. Kat agreed as they waited while watching the lights from the celebrations.

Bengali had broken away from the food and drink to see Kalihara heading back to the palace. He jogged up to her as she went up the stairs.

"Hey Kali…" he stopped short as he saw she looked depressed.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" he put his hand on her shoulder and she shrugged it off.

"I don't feel well and I'm heading back to my room" she replied quietly as she reached the entrance to the palace.

"Hey, wait, what's wrong? You can tell me. Please?" the white tiger told her as he put his hand on her shoulder one more time.

"Bengali, please. I just… want to go back to my room."

"Alright, but if you need anything, just ask. I… I, well… I care about you" he told her. Her head snapped up a bit as she looked over her shoulder at him with a confused look on her face.

"Bengali, you too?" she asked. The blacksmith looked surprised.

"Wait, too? Lion-o told you how he felt?... ah, well… yeah, it's sort of been… well, yeah, I like you. You're not like the other girls I've ever met." He tried to caress her face, but she backed away.

"You'll move on. Can't I seriously just get some peace from both of you?" she snapped as she turned around and headed into the palace.

"What do you mean I'll move on? Hearts don't just jump from one pretty face to another, at least mine doesn't. Come on, give me a chance" he said as he kept up with her and gestured with his arms out in surrender.

"Bengali, please, not now, I don't feel well and with Lion-o trying to find out about my past, with memories swirling in my head, I don't… please just go away" she told him as she entered her room. He was right behind her.

"What happened? It'll help if you talk about it. Something bad happen? I can relate Kali. I can. Just trust me." He stood at her door as she sat down on her bed.

"Leave. Please, just leave. My head is splitting and I really-" she started to say as a cough escaped her lips and a sniffle "-don't feel good. It was foolish of me to go out to see the sights when I'm not well. Go."

"Kalihara, I'm not leaving until I get a straight answer and I know you're alright. This is hurting you. Please, just tell me…"

"Just leave!" she growled, though her growl sounded somewhat gravelly due to the cold. Bengali couldn't help but chuckle a bit. She sighed pitifully, as he didn't listen.

"Fine! I'm going to sleep in my quarters! You can stay here all you want!" she snapped and coughed again as she stormed towards the door. He stepped in front of her.

"Get out of my way or I will grab my rifle and shoot you" she said coldly. He was shocked at her response. She really didn't want to talk about her past, to anyone. He stepped aside as she continued down the hallway and towards the Feliner.

"Will you just stop for a second? Take a deep breath and ask yourself, what could you gain from letting it out? Look, forget about me saying I like you, which is true, but still. This is serious. What happened? Why is it so painful to talk about?" he asked as he followed. Lion-o caught up and saw her walking towards the ship with Bengali right behind her.

"Hey, leave her alone! She's emotional enough without you badgering her!" he snarled.

"I'm trying to help! Did you ask her about her family? Kalihara, my mother died because of bandits. That's right, bandits. They weren't even near Monkey City either. I lived in Thundera, and when it fell, we traveled as far as we could to get away from the lizards. The convoy was attacked by our own people, scavenging for everything they could while we tried to fend them off. My mother just happened to be in the way" Bengali told her as he walked backwards.

"Bengali, leave her alone!" Lion-o growled as he stormed towards him. They had just reached the cargo ramp when a bucket fell down and splashed… and missed its intended target.

"Haha, got y… oh…" Kit giggled and stopped as they all saw who it had fallen on. Kalihara was sitting on the ground with the bucket lying next to her, dripping wet.

"What the heck are you two doing?" Bengali snapped up as both Lion-o and he dropped any chance of violence to scold the cubs.

"You guys were annoying Kalihara, and we're all tired of it! So Panthro said you two needed a cold shower. We figured this would give you a quick wake up call to leave her be… uh, we didn't really figure the bucket would bounce…" Kit explained. Kalihara stood up wobbly as Lion-o and Bengali tried to help her. She refused their help and stood up on her own, sniffing her hands.

"Is this kerosene?" she asked. Everyone froze. They hadn't poured water on her. It was a highly flammable fuel. She was covered in it. She wrinkled her nose, as even though she was stuffed up, the smell was unmistakable with her soaked in the liquid.

"Oh no… Kali! We're so sorry! We really are!" Kat said from above as he was on the verge of tears.

"How the heck did you not smell it when you poured it?" Lion-o snapped up at them.

"We thought that was the smell from the jerry cans. We've never used kerosene." Kalihara sighed in frustration, only to be cut off by the sounds they did not want to hear.

"Is that an alarm?" Bengali asked. A horn was blowing loudly over the city multiple times as columns of equines came charging down the streets.

"Something is wrong, really wrong" Lion-o commented as Tygra and Cheetara both raced up the hill next to the palace to reach the Feliner. The festival was breaking up quickly as everyone seemed to be running to their homes or to bunkers.

"Lizards, on the south side. They're close" Tygra reported as he charged into the ship to retrieve his weapons.

"How the heck are they coming from that position? There's a dang lake blocking that side!" Panthro grumbled in confusion as he came up behind them. He seemed to have a few beads pinned to his clothes.

"What?" he asked as they looked at him.

"Incoming!" an equine soldier yelled as multiple lizards swam up from the lake with snorkels and fins, heading towards the palace.

"Damn it, we gotta stop them" Lion-o said as everyone ran inside to get their weapons. Kalihara still had her equipment in the guest room of the palace. She bolted towards it as Lion-o saw her run.

"Whiskers… Kalihara! Wait!" he yelled as she shot through the door and disappeared into the hallway. He grimaced as he ran into his room and grabbed his gauntlet and sword. As they got outside, he noticed the same lizards firebombing the palace with incendiary grenades. They weren't trying to burn the building down, as that would be impossible. They were trying to block any exits. Some of the lizards entered through the burning doors, not affected with the water still soaking their suits and bodies.

"Oh gods… no no NO!" Lion-o screamed as both he and Bengali charged straight at them, slamming their weapons through their bodies and sending them flying. Time seemed to be going by so slowly as they both forgot their competition and thought of only one thing: Getting Kalihara out of there. Lion-o brought up his gauntlet and provided a shield to allow both of the men to jump through the fire, with the others heading to help the rest of the city and stop further forces from invading. Lion-o slid around the corner with Bengali right on his tail, bracing himself above him on the wall as they hacked and slashed at the lizards blocking them. They reached the door to Kalihara's room and busted through, with her slammed against the floor with a lizard on top of her trying to push a dagger into her throat. She elbowed him and brought her knee up into his groin, knocking him off her as she kip upped and grabbed her combat knife from the chair. The lioness immediately slammed it down onto his throat, slicing across and coming back up.

As she stood up and coughed harshly, they realized the fighting would wear on her weakened immune system, as well as her extreme vulnerability to fire with the kerosene on her fur.

"We gotta go!" Lion-o yelled just as he started to take a step forward. An incendiary grenade flew through the window and landed in front of him, blocking his path.

"Kalihara!" the young king yelled as he backed away, with Bengali patting at any flames that were licking at his chest. She backed away into the corner, away from the ensuing inferno. If even once the fire touched her, she'd burst into flames instantly. Bengali grabbed a tapestry from the wall and started patting down the fire in front of the door.

"I've gotta jump out of the window! No chance of stopping an incendiary!" she yelled. Lion-o could hear his heart as time slowed, with nothing else happening beyond Kalihara running straight towards the window. The fire trailed along the ground and barely licked at her heel, lighting her up in a puff of yellow and red. She screamed as she felt the fire burn through her fur as she jumped out of the window, a drape going with her. She dove into the water with a crash as Lion-o watched in horror. Both Bengali and Lion-o went after her once Bengali had just dropped the tapestry over the fire on the ground. They stopped at the window and looked for her to rise up. Her body floated to the top, and they could barely see from the moonlight that she was alive… barely.

They grabbed her equipment and ran out of the room, not letting it get destroyed as they tore out of the palace as fast as their legs would carry them.

"Kit! Kat! Catch!" Bengali yelled as they threw her things to them and charged straight to the lake. Two lizards were heading to try and intercept her floating body as the men jumped into the water with a splash and struck at them with all their might. Two warbots were seen in the distance, but two ballistae shot their bolts right through the canopy of each, sending them toppling over. Despite the equines not having the same technology, this was their home, and they knew what to use against what. They were larger, faster, and moved in phalanx lines with shields covering each other.

Lion-o swam to Kalihara as she just floated with the drape covering her body. Bengali went after him as he grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the shore. He heard a soft moan come from her lips, and knew it was bad without looking under the drape. He slowly pulled the drape away and flinched. She was badly burned, with only patches of fur covering her body. A slight whimper barely escaped, as her breathing seemed ragged.

"By the goddess…" he choked back as rage and anger welled up in him for the lizards, but it quickly disappeared with the replacing emotions of sadness and guilt. It was heart wrenching to see her lying there, unmoving, unwilling to move because of the pain.

"WE NEED HELP! SOMEONE GET OVER HERE!" Lion-o screamed out. Abraxas was running up the hill and backhanded a lizard into the wall, sliced another in half, and heard the scream. He saw the woman lying on the ground and badly burned.

"By all that is holy…" the sergeant whispered as he ran to get any apothecaries he could find.

"Just hang on Kalihara, you'll be… you'll be just fine…" Lion-o tried to say in a half choked voice. Cheetara ran up to them and saw the situation.

"Where is that apothecary?" Lion-o snarled out.

"She's coming, just… be patient Lion-o" Cheetara tried to calm him down, pulling him into a gentle hug, but he ripped away from her as he wanted nothing more than to be near the lioness.

"I need a little help here!" Tygra yelled out as he whipped a lizard and flipped him, but pulse shots were flying at him from two directions.

"Lion-o, we have to help or everyone will die" Cheetara tried to move him. Abraxas came charging back with one of the mares, who immediately knelt next to the downed soldier.

"I need everyone to stay back. Abraxas go get my apprentices, move!" the mare ordered. Lion-o wouldn't pull back, but Cheetara finally dragged him away.

"Lion-o, LION-O! We've got to keep fighting. She'll tend to her. Come on" she whispered into his ear. Bengali was pure rage as he stood up and took a deep breath. He wielded his hammer and charged towards two lizards that were trying to sneak up behind Tygra and knocked them clear off the hill in one homerun strike. Lion-o slowly got up as his eyes couldn't leave the prone form of the burnt woman. She was still conscious, which made his heart reach out to her all the more. She was feeling everything. Lion-o breathed deeply and followed suit to the others, beating back the attack from the lizards and Slythe. Kaynar was giggling uncontrollably as he attacked a group of equines, but Panthro leapt into the fray and slammed him through a wall, having him come out on top of baskets full of fruit and rolling. The equines seemed to be winning, though slowly. It was up to the Thunder Cats to speed it up.

Cheetara dashed towards multiple lizards down an alleyway, knocking each in one direction or another as she cleared a path for Bengali to bowl into Addicus.

"RAAAAHHHHH!" he roared as he rammed into the ape and started beating his target around the building with his hammer, shrugging off the mace strikes Addicus attacked him with. He was furious. The lizards backed off and soon retreated after a certain amount of time, as the equines cheered in victory. Lion-o and Bengali ran back to the palace as fast as they could as they saw fire fighters throwing buckets of water to douse the flames. Hopefully Kalihara had survived through the battle.

**[One Hour Later]**

The apothecary walked out of the room and headed towards the group sitting in the throne room. Lion-o and Bengali both stood up immediately.

"How is she?" Lion-o asked.

"We've done all we can for her burns. She can't even speak, she is in such pain. We've covered her in ointment and bandaged her carefully, but unless she gets better treatment… I'm sorry; we've used everything we know" the mare told him. His heart sank like a stone. If they didn't find better medical assistance, she would die.

"Maybe… maybe I can use the spirit stone to… I don't know… help somehow. There's got to be a way!" Lion-o snapped.

"I'm sorry your majesty, we've used what is available to us. If you'll excuse me, I must tend to the other wounded" the mare said as she bowed and left. Bengali huffed and rested his hands on his hips, staring at the floor in frustration, his mind in deep thought. Lion-o walked to the door and opened it carefully, hoping he was allowed inside. The young king slowly walked into the dim room to the bed. There, lying under the sheets was Kalihara. She was bandaged from head to toe with white cloth, white cream ointment visible all over her arms. Her left eye was covered with another bandage as her right eye was closed. He barely heard the soft whimper of pain. His heart wrenched at the sound.

**[Music: Coldplay – Fix You]**

"I am so sorry…" he whispered to her. Her right eye slowly opened to look at him. She was an absolute mess. Another moan as he brought his fist up to his mouth.

"I'm gonna fix this. You're not gonna die. I'll make sure of it" he said as he stood up from sitting next to her and stormed out of the room. He stomped to the Feliner and opened her quarters with the others wondering what he was doing. The lion started digging through her things, looking at different sprays and tools as he searched.

"What are you doing?" Cheetara asked.

"Finding a way to help her! Anything! I don't care what it is! I'll do anything to save her!" he snapped, with the cheetah falling silent. He went back to digging through the canisters and reading the labels on them, with nothing showing useful for burns.

"No… no… no, no, NO…" he growled out as he threw one of the sprays against the wall. It bounced off and skipped off the ground, resting near the other's feet. He slumped against the wall as he dug his claws into his fiery hair, trying to think.

"She can't die… she can't… I've got to… there's just no way…" he mumbled to himself.

"Lion-o…" Tygra whispered as he watched his brother in despair. The woman he cared about would pass away eventually. The tiger prince walked in and sat next to him.

"You should be by her side in her last moments…" he whispered.

"No! She isn't dying! I… I'll think of something!" he growled, his eyes blazing, and yet tears were willing up.

"Come on… maybe, maybe the equines might have some trick up their sleeve" his brother told him as he helped him up. Lion-o shrugged him off, but he didn't stop as he helped him up after the lion threw two punches which he quickly dodged.

"Lion-o! Get a hold of yourself! It's us! Not the lizards, you know that!" Tygra snapped at him. Lion-o looked him in the eye, and all Tygra saw was sadness. He helped him out of the ship and towards the palace once more. Just as they reached the door, one of the Quekans landed nearby, looking at Lion-o. He noticed it sitting there chirping and cocking its head.

"We could really use some good luck right about now…" Cheetara said quietly.

"What we need is a miracle…" Panthro replied glumly. The bird hopped a few inches towards them, as Lion-o walked over and put his hand out. The bird backed off a bit, but didn't fly away. It cautiously came to his hand and looked at it, and then hopped onto his finger. He raised it carefully to his face and stared eye to eye.

"I'm willing to try anything" he whispered. The bird turned and flew off, its tail opening into blue and green.

"There you are. I wanted to say I'm sorry for your friend. The apothecary warned me of the situation, and while you have my sincere apologies, I have something to tell you. We do not have the medical capabilities to save her" Emperor Ahern told him.

"We already know that…" Lion-o grumbled.

"But I know someone who does, or should I say, know of a place that can. It is a long trek, a day underground through a hidden tunnel through the mountain and deep underground. There… is a temple. Supposedly it carries something called the water of life. We have never ventured near it, and those adventurers who have gone in came back out saying there was no temple, just a small spring that had no effect on healing. The legend still holds however. They did say they heard whispers in the background, ghosts maybe, but they had seen nothing. I know this isn't much, but…" Ahern sighed as he looked down the hallway towards the bedrooms.

"We'll do it" Lion-o replied calmly. Everyone looked at him.

"Lion-o, he just said it didn't have any effect to heal those who were injured" Cheetara reiterated.

"We've seen what happens when you don't believe Cheetara. We don't have anything to lose, she has everything to gain. Where is this tunnel?" Lion-o asked.

"I will have Abraxas show you the way. Travel quickly my friends; the lioness does not have long. In her present condition, we estimate… two days she may last, and the trip is cramped. If the legend is true, you may very well save her… at the very least it gives hope in her dying hours" Ahern told him. The Emperor nodded to them as he headed back down a burnt hallway, with Lion-o thinking.

"So, we're really gonna take her to this temple that may or may not be there? Why not the Avians you met? Why not the Berbils or somewhere else? What about getting another-" Bengali started to argue.

"We're taking her! She doesn't have long, and you want to bicker over maybe this place is real or not! Hope is the only thing that's driving any of us right now!" Lion-o snarled at him.

"You're going to bet her life on this decision?" The white tiger growled.

"No, he's giving her something to fight to stay alive for" Tygra said as he stood next to his brother. Lion-o looked at the tiger prince, and he nodded at him in agreement. Bengali sighed and looked at the ground.

"If we're gonna do this, we better go now. I mean right now. Get everything packed" he finally said as he picked up his hammer and ran to the Feliner. Everyone shot in different directions to get supplies and a stretcher to lift Kalihara. She whimpered as they moved her, pain shooting up her arms and legs. The cubs were in tears at the sight of her in such a sorry state.

"Abraxas. Ready?" Lion-o asked.

"You may be the ones who find the temple. Who knows? I wish you luck. If… if she doesn't make it… we would be honored if you would allow us to provide for the funeral…" the sergeant said softly. Lion-o glared daggers at him, but calmed down when he realized he was only offering an honorable chance to send her soul to the afterlife. If she died… at least she would be with her family.

The path to the mountain was quick, as once they reached it with the help of the sergeant and his men chopping down leaves, they found the cave under a waterfall and vines, with moss growing everywhere.

**[Music: Lifehouse – Broken]**

"The cave gets smaller as you go in, and eventually you will be single file. Safe travels" the equine sergeant told them as they turned back. Lion-o looked at Kalihara lying on the stretcher, weak and pitiful as she tried to stay as still as possible. Her one visible eye was staring at him with a look that told him what she felt. She was resigned to her fate. Panthro and Tygra would carry the stretcher, with Cheetara carrying a pack of replacement bandages and anesthetic ointment to mitigate the pain as well as poultices to try and heal some of the minor burns. The cubs were carrying her equipment while Bengali held her backpack. Lion-o was carrying all of the supplies they would need down the tunnel.

"Let's get to that temple."

_To be continued…_


	6. Good Luck

**Episode 32: Good Luck**

The team was moving quickly down the cave as fast as they could carry the stretcher with Kalihara lying on it. Tygra and Panthro switched off with Lion-o and Bengali every hour to rest their arms. Cheetara had changed her bandages on her legs and arms once, not attempting to do anything to her torso or head in front of the cubs. She didn't want them to see her the way she was. Despite how strong she was in her suit and sniping with her rifle, she was now broken and in pain. Kalihara couldn't even speak, with her breathing shallow and raspy. She was fighting for every breath, as jolts of pain pulsed through her chest with every move of a muscle, every inhale.

"Lion-o, we need to stop to rest" Tygra told the young king quietly as they slid past each other in the narrow tunnel. Tygra passed the torch to him as it was his turn to carry the front of the stretcher while Panthro carried the rear.

"We need to keep moving" Lion-o replied sternly.

"To do what Lion-o? Look at your friends, the ones who are trying to keep up. They're panting for breath. We've made damn good time compared to those adventurers of the past. They were in no hurry in fear of hitting any traps, which we've found none of. A small break wouldn't hurt. In six hours we've covered a lot of ground" Tygra explained softly.

"She's in pain Tygra! Can't you see that?" The lion snarled at his brother.

"And others will soon be in the same position if they have to keep on this death march! Look at them!" Tygra yelled at him. The tiger prince gestured behind him as the cubs trailed the back, with Cheetara gulping down water. Bengali even looked a bit winded. Panthro was sweating through his clothes. He looked down at Kalihara's one eye that wasn't bandaged, as she stared into his blue with her emerald. She blinked, and somehow he knew.

"I'm sorry, but we've got to rest for a minute. I hope you can just hold on while we regain our strength" he whispered to her as he kneeled next to the stretcher. She forced herself to nod, despite the fact that it must have been a painful effort. He winced as she did it, with the sound of crackling skin under the bandages near her neck. The burns had turned into large white scabs, with the nerves under either numb from permanent damage or constantly forcing a pain response up to her brain. Most were second degree burns on the edge of third degree transition.

Lion-o winced at the sound of the skin, but nodded back as if understanding how she felt. He looked at Tygra and nodded again, who turned around and pushed his hand down towards the ground for the rest of the team to relax.

"Thank the stars…" Panthro muttered out as everyone sat down in the cramped tunnel and rested. Each drank large amounts of water as well as nibbled on some food, but most of them weren't hungry. The smell of the torch burning didn't cover up the singed hair that Kalihara had. Their friend smelled of burnt death. No one said anything beyond the very soft whimper every so often from the lioness as she forced herself to take breaths. If she stopped, she'd be dead in a minute. Once the Thunder Cats had time to rest for five minutes, Lion-o stood up.

"I'll understand if you all need more time to rest… but… if you're all fine with moving, I'd like to try now" he said as he packed the canteens into the satchel and handed it to Tygra. No one objected, though they were a little disheartened by the fact they only had five minutes in six hours to sit down. They continued on for another hour with Lion-o carrying Kalihara's head. Her breathing lessened a bit after that hour.

"Kalihara?" he asked as he turned to look over his shoulder as Tygra led the way. No response.

"Wait, everyone, stop" he ordered as the team came to a halt and he turned around and looked at her. Her eye was closed, and he was in pure horror. Had she passed on? Did she die under a mountain, being moved down an almost endless tunnel to a temple that may or may not exist? His heart was in his throat just as Cheetara slipped by Bengali and leaned to her chest.

"She's alive, but I think she's either passed out from the pain, or found some way to get some sleep" she whispered to him. The young king relaxed as he was grateful for the report. It still worried him that she might have passed out from the constant adrenaline pouring through her and the firing of her nerves to the damage of her skin and fur, but he kept the thought in his head that she had just found a way to get some rest. No one said a word as they headed on down the tunnel, as it started to dip towards the ground.

"Whiskers… we can't let this stop us…" Lion-o grumbled as before they knew it, the entire group was crouching and moving, still carrying the stretcher. It slowed them significantly.

"How far below the ground are we?" Kat whispered.

"Don't think about such things. We're under a mountain, and once we reach the temple, we'll be back out in no time" Cheetara replied. The tunnel continued to get smaller until they reached a spot that they had to crawl while holding onto the stretcher.

"This is insane…" Tygra whispered. They had tied two handles of the stretcher to Tygra's shins as he kept pushing himself backwards while Panthro kept crawling with his elbow pads as he held the back handles. It was extremely tough on both of them.

"Would you rather we let her die?" Lion-o asked him from in front as he stopped and looked over his shoulder to the prone brother. Tygra hesitated and looked away.

"No…" he whispered back, and with renewed strength, he started to push towards Lion-o, almost overtaking him as the young king kept crawling forward. Their perseverance eventually showed fruit, as the tunnel ceiling suddenly rose to a crawling level.

"Thank the goddess…" Lion-o whispered to himself. He was starting to more and more say the same thing that Kalihara said, as even though he might not worship the same gods that she did, he started to think that maybe whatever goddess she would pray to was looking out for one of her faithful to reach salvation. Hopefully she'd show kindness to him as well. The team reached a ceiling level where they could walk again, and made up for slowing down by sitting for another rest and preparing to jog a bit after.

"Can we get ten minutes this time?" Panthro asked.

"Take as long as you need. I didn't expect that to be so troubling to us" Lion-o responded. His shins were covered in dirt, as his claws were caked with it as well. When they were ready to get up, it had been another twenty minutes. The young king was irked that they had rested for so long, but if they needed it, then he had to let them recuperate. They reached a much more expanded area of tunnel that allowed up to five of them across at a time. This allowed for them to change positions easily every hour carrying the stretcher. They continued for another hour before they reached an area that was waist deep in water. Lion-o and Bengali both took it upon themselves to carry Kalihara through the mile of half submerged tunnel, keeping the stretcher above the water level. Bengali nearly lost his footing at one spot, and with it nearly dumped Kalihara into the water. Luckily he was able to regain his balance quickly and right the stretcher.

"It'd help to know how much farther we had… how long have we traveled?" Tygra asked.

"I've got something here… in Kalihara's things" Cheetara replied as she dug through the equipment that Kat and Kit were carrying. She pulled out her Delta Gauntlet and pressed a button on it. A chronometer activated on a panel fixed to the top. The time was 4:30 p.m.

"Maybe it might show us where we are" she questioned as she slid her hand into it.

"Wait, Cheetara, I don't think-" Tygra tried to warn her.

"Access denied" the gauntlet spoke in a female voice. The chronometer turned off with a red X and there was a sound of locking inside.

"-That's a good idea…" Tygra finished as Cheetara pulled her arm out, with nothing happening to her.

"What did it do?" Lion-o asked.

"It's locked down most likely. Security feature to make sure no one else used it. It's probably linked to Kalihara" Panthro suggested. Lion-o didn't want to push it onto her arm when it was so badly burned.

"No, she can unlock it later when she's healthy. At least we know what time it is right now, which means we've traveled almost a day. It must be just a bit further" the young king told them as he turned around and headed down the remainder of the tunnel, or what he thought was the remainder of the tunnel. The others followed suit with Tygra and Panthro holding the stretcher. There was a curve, and the sudden shocking sight of light.

"Did we find…" Lion-o couldn't even finish his sentence as he ran forward. Everyone charged after him, as he stopped in a cobblestone walled room that looked in disrepair. There were rocky side walls and water dripping from the top through a very large crevice, and above a good forty feet, they saw daylight and trees. Attached to the furthest wall from the tunnel was a large multi-tiered fountain pouring water into the base.

"Wonder where we are compared to the city" Bengali asked.

"Who cares, we'll back through the tunnel if we have to" Tygra responded as they set the stretcher down. Lion-o walked to the fountain and lightly touched the water in the bottom platform. It was cool to the touch, and looked pure atop blue stones at the bottom.

"I don't see any temple… but maybe this room is just that, or perhaps what remains of it" Panthro said as he felt the rock walls.

"The rest just could be buried for all we know. There could be a lot more than just this" Cheetara advised. Lion-o pulled his canteen and dipped it into the water, seeing it flow quickly into the open hole at the top. He picked it up quickly and went to Kalihara. Everyone watched as he brought it to her mouth. She woke up from her small nap and looked at him with her one eye.

"Hey, Kalihara, please, drink this" he said softly. She opened her mouth just half an inch as he carefully poured not even a sip inside. She swallowed with pain, her lips chapped and blistered. The once striking beauty she had was gone and replaced with a decrepit and marred form. Lion-o hoped the water would change this.

"Is it working?" Tygra asked as Lion-o put his hand up for everyone to be quiet. She lay there as still as ever as everyone waited for any effect. One minute passed, and then another. Lion-o listened for anything out of the ordinary near her body, any sound of something growing or looked for any sign of glowing or repair of her skin. His eyes roamed her body carefully, wondering if he had given her enough.

"Maybe she needs more" Bengali asked.

"Or it might need to touch the affected area" Tygra offered up his advice.

"You know, that's not a bad idea" Lion-o said as he looked at Tygra. His brother brought over a wash cloth from the packs and let Lion-o soak it with the water. He touched it lightly against an exposed spot on her leg, charred and burnt with blister bubbles. She winced and made a sound that was a mixture of a groan and a hiss. Her visible eye shut in excruciating pain.

"Pour it on the spot directly!" Bengali told him. Tygra looked at Lion-o, who sighed and nodded. He held the canister on its side and poured a small trickle down onto the wound. Kalihara moaned and whimpered. It hurt a lot, and was doing nothing.

"All we're doing is torturing her" Lion-o stopped in frustration and closed the canteen.

"Have her drink more of it then!" Bengali offered.

"It's not having an effect Bengali! What, you want to try and drown her too?" Lion-o snapped at him. The white tiger snarled at him, but quickly calmed as he thought better of what he was suggesting and looked at Kalihara. She was whimpering as Cheetara patted at the soaked stretcher to keep the damp from causing any problems to her wounds. Practically anything could cause infection. Everyone was silent.

"Guess the legend is as those adventurers have stated. False" Lion-o whispered, with the whole team hearing it. Morale sunk to rock bottom as Kalihara closed her eye in despair. She was going to die, and there was nothing they could do. Lion-o kneeled next to her.

"Kalihara, I am so sorry with what happened. I would give anything to reverse this" he said softly as she just kept breathing.

"I'd give up my life for her…" Bengali commented as he stood on her opposite side staring at her bandaged face. Lion-o saw her eye open again and stare up at the crevice and up to the sky. She was ready to die, to send her soul to the heavens and hopefully be embraced by the goddess.

"Please… I'm not as religious as my father wanted me to be, to ask for bounties or help my people… but if you are real… please, to whom the goddess that she believes in… help her… don't let her go like this…" Lion-o whispered. Kalihara heard him faintly from her damaged ear, as close as he was. Her eye looked over at him.

"If you do this for her… you'll have a new follower… please…" he continued whispering. Nothing happened. No miracle, no blessing of the divine, and no goddess coming forth to heal her. Lion-o felt the dam of tears pushing under his eyes. He closed them, hoping for something to happen.

A Quekan flew down from the crevice and landed on the top tier of the fountain, chirping. Lion-o opened his eyes and looked at the bird, as it dipped its beak into the water and took a drink. It looked up at him and cocked its head, wondering who he was, and why he was there. He stood up, and it didn't seem at all bothered by him coming back over to the fountain and putting his hand into the water. He stared eye to eye with it as it continued to chirp, until finally it made an odd long broken squawking sound. The Quekan turned around and flew out of the crevice and disappeared.

"A lot of good those birds do…" Panthro grumbled.

"Not good luck" Kat replied.

"No…" Lion-o whispered as he pushed at blue stones on the bottom tier of the fountain. Nothing happened.

"Lion-o, what are you doing?" Tygra asked.

"This isn't the fountain… there isn't a fountain…" he muttered out as he moved to the second tier. Again, no stone moved, and he moved to the top tier, and found one stone and shifted. Nothing else happened.

"So you found a loose stone" Bengali stated. Lion-o didn't give up, as he moved to the second tier and found another stone that he pushed.

"Wait, hang on. You already touched that stone and nothing happened" Cheetara noticed as she walked over and saw her king move to the bottom tier.

"Help me. Stop standing there and help me find this stone!" he commanded as Tygra walked over and started to push on stones on the outside placed in the mortar.

"I think… this is it…" Cheetara said as she moved a stone in the third tier. They all backed away as they waited for something to happen. No moving wall, no sky darkening, nothing out of the ordinary. Lion-o sighed in frustration.

"It was worth a shot Lion-o…" Cheetara told him softly as she put her hand on his shoulder. He grimaced as he exhausted all options. He just stood there, angry at the lizards, angry at the world, the universe, for letting this happen to her.

"She… doesn't… DESERVE THIS!" he roared as he pulled the Sword of Omens and struck at the fountain. The sword passed right through the fountain, as though it wasn't there. Lion-o gasped as he stopped in place after his swing. He put away the sword and touched gingerly at the fountain. It didn't react to his touch, as his fingers moved through the stones and mortar.

"Yes…" he sighed in relief. Something was on the other side. A very light whisper was heard.

"What was that?" Kit asked as she looked down the tunnel.

"The ghosts?" Panthro asked as his head snapped in all directions.

"If they can help, I don't care who they are. Let's get her through this right now" Lion-o commanded. They picked up the stretcher and slowly walked through the illusion, coming out in a much larger room with benches running along its radius. There were two hallways heading in opposite directions from the domed room, with a singular large hole in the top pouring light down, providing gloomy light to the rest of the room. On one end of it, opposite of where they came out from, there was a raised floor with a ritual dais in the middle, with inscriptions running along the sides. In front of it was a long pool of water, with a small bowl like fount in the back wall that didn't have any semblance of traveling liquid to fill it.

"This must be the temple" Tygra said in awe as they looked at the engravings on the walls, barely lit by the one hole in the ceiling. As they headed to the slab, everyone turning around as Panthro and Bengali placed the stretcher on it, they noticed the hallways to each side were completely dark.

"Wonder what the engravings mean?" Kat asked. Lion-o walked up to one as he tried to make out what it meant.

"I can't read any of this…" he told them as Cheetara walked past him and put her hand on the wall.

"These are… this is runic language… twelve… no… thirteen… must abide… everywhere… nowhere…" she said as she moved down the wall.

"You can read that?" Tygra asked in astonishment.

"Jaga taught me how to read a bit of it before the fall. I can't make out all of it, but it seems to tell of thirteen priests that used to live here, who took care of the spring carrying the water of life" she told them.

"It is not the water of life" a voice said from behind them. They all pulled out their weapons as they turned around, but what they saw was something they didn't expect. Thirteen white robed figures stood in a semi-circle around them, all seemed to have a mystical aura about them.

"You do not need those. We are not your enemy" the same voice came from the lead figure. He stepped forward, showing he was a cat. He looked up from the floor and tilted his head slightly as he looked at Lion-o. He looked to be a snow leopard, with two piercings through the bridge of his nose. The others were of assorted species, with a white rabbit, a white ape, a polar bear, and an arctic fox among them. The Thunder Cats lowered their weapons as Lion-o walked forward.

"My name is Lion-o, lord of the-" he started to introduce himself.

"Thunder Cats. You come here, why?" the leader asked.

"To save a friend. There's supposed to be water here that can heal her. She's badly wounded… she doesn't deserve to die" he told him sternly as he looked at the ritual dais, Kalihara still lying on the stretcher.

"What she deserves is not for anyone to choose for her. Her own accomplishments and failures are judged by her, not you" the priest told him calmly.

"We're trying to save her! Don't you care about a life?" Bengali snapped at him.

"Life is precious everywhere, but death is necessary to complete the cycle. Why would you halt what is necessary?" the fox asked.

"Because… it isn't her time… she's meant for more…" Lion-o gritted his teeth as he tried not to blow up in their faces.

"Perhaps this is her time. It is always hard for those who are left behind, to mourn the loss of their family, their friends… their loved ones" the monkey suggested. Lion-o looked at him, and then glanced at Kalihara. She went through the same situation with grieving for her husband and son more than likely.

"Unless her loved ones are waiting for her, then she has nothing to fear. She may embrace death" the bear spoke quietly, though his voice reverberated throughout the whole room.

"She has a family! us…" Kit yelled as she stepped in front of the snow leopard and stared him in the eye. She wanted her aunt back. Kat was quickly beside her. They both wanted aunt Kali back.

"Would she speak for herself? Can she speak?" the fox asked.

"No… sadly… she can barely breathe without pain. I just… want that pain to go away, without her dying… I want to hear her voice again, by the goddess I want to hear it…." Lion-o told them.

"Goddess?" the snow leopard asked as he looked among his fellow priests. The fox nodded at him with a knowing look.

"To hell with the goddess, I'll pray to every god out there" Bengali spoke up in frustration as his hands clenched into fists. The fox looked at Bengali, closed her eyes, and when she opened them, they were resting on Lion-o. She nodded as she stared at him.

"Would you speak on her behalf?" the snow leopard asked. Lion-o looked at everyone and pointed at himself.

"I…" he was almost speechless. He would speak for Kalihara? Didn't he just get told she made her own choices for herself?

"Wait, didn't you just say-" Lion-o started to ask.

"You say she has no voice, and without voice she cannot tell of her intentions. What does she wish for? Release? Life? There are many things she wants, but if she cannot tell of them, then someone must vocalize her wishes, her thoughts" the monkey told him.

"Hell, I'll speak for her" Bengali started walking forward.

"You were not given the choice" the fox said, as his legs suddenly couldn't move forward anymore.

"Me?" Lion-o asked.

"You have been given the choice. You speak of the goddess. Do you accept or decline?" the polar bear asked.

"What happens if I accept or decline?" he asked.

"Do you accept or decline?" the snow leopard asked.

"Wait, I need to know what each means before I choose to-" Lion-o tried to speak.

"Do you accept or decline?" the snow leopard asked. Lion-o sighed and looked at the broken form that lay on the dais. He had said he would do anything to save her, and he did pray to the goddess once already, telling that he would be a follower if he was helped in some form.

"Yes" he finally said.

"Very well. Does she wish to live?" the snow leopard asked.

"Yes" Lion-o said instantly.

"What does she wish for beyond living?" the fox asked.

"What? I-" he started to question her.

"What does she wish for beyond living?" the fox asked again. Lion-o thought long and hard. What did she want? She had told him they barely knew each other, and that he was grasping at straws for a relationship. He thought back to all the times she had been on the ship, cooking meals and taking care of the cubs, cleaning her equipment and doing what she needed to do to protect the ship and the other Thunder Cats. Any of that meant a whole bunch of things to him. Did she want her family back? Did she want revenge against Mumm-ra? Did she want to soldier on and keep fighting? He thought carefully for a minute as everyone remained in silence.

"I'll say what she was before this, and you may glean from that what you will about what she wants" Lion-o spoke, waiting for the fox to interrupt him. She never did.

"Major Kalihara Ghost Claw was a soldier… a wife to a loving husband… a mother to a son… and an enemy to an evil that could kill her easily, and yet she still fought on. She's a protector of the weak… a death bringer to those who would cause harm to others who cannot fight back… and our friend. She is the aunt to Kit and Kat, and… I care about her… as do we all" he told her. The fox remained silent, and looked at the snow leopard.

"We will bring the cup" the monkey told them as he and the polar bear went down one of the left hallways, which was completely lit now. How had the torches appeared? Shouldn't they have seen the light before? There should have been sound of crackling fire from someone carrying a light or using flint and stone. After a few minutes, they came back holding a cup. It was simple, made of red clay and kilned with a light glaze. They both stood at the fount on the back wall, waiting.

"What are they waiting for? Let's get this done" Lion-o pleaded.

"I must warn you, voice of Kalihara, that it is not you who makes the choice to save her, but the water. It will judge her to be worthy or unworthy" the snow leopard told him.

"Wait, then why did I have to speak for her in the first place? How come I can't make that choice?" Lion-o growled out.

"Lion-o…" Cheetara tried to calm him.

"No! How is the water choosing whether she lives or dies? We know her, not it!" Lion-o yelled.

"Which was why you spoke for her; you were her voice giving reason as to whom she was. Beyond the voice, there is the water knowing of her past, and her present, and her pain, given help by your words as to who she is" a white owl said near him.

"What happens if it doesn't see her as worthy?" Bengali asked. There was no response.

"What happens if it doesn't see her as worthy?" Lion-o echoed.

"It will poison her. The pain will leave her body, and she will no longer suffer. It will be a quick death" the fox told him. Lion-o was shocked. He gasped as his eyes went wide.

"Do you choose as her voice for her to drink the water?" the snow leopard asked.

"That's insane! If it judges her poorly, she'll die all because of something not living? No way!" Bengali yelled.

"Would you want it, Bengali, If you were in her shoes?" Tygra asked.

"What? That's completely different! She's…" he trailed off.

"It isn't different is it? You'd want to be given the water and have it judge you, at a chance at new life" Lion-o told him.

"What is your choice?" the fox asked. Lion-o looked at Kalihara lying on the dais, her eye open and staring at him. She whimpered from the burns. He could feel his heart breaking at seeing her there.

"Yes" he said quietly.

"So be it" the owl spoke as he turned to the two holding the cup. They dipped the mug into the water and pulled it out, bringing it to Kalihara.

"What would you offer for this choice?" the snow leopard asked. Lion-o and the others almost stopped breathing.

"There's a fee?" Lion-o asked.

"What would you offer for her chance? Her life?" the leopard asked.

"If its money you want, I'll give you everything I have with me, I could-" he started to say, but was interrupted.

"Money means little to us. What would you offer for her chance?" he asked again. Lion-o thought quickly. What did he have that wasn't money? His armor? The clothes on his back? His home was in shambles, and beyond the amount he made from the tournament and the forever bag, they had meager possessions beyond the Feliner.

"What would you think of that I have?" he asked a question to answer the leopard.

"Would you give up your sword for her life?" he asked.

"What? No, Lion-o, seriously, that's-" Tygra tried to stop him agreeing, but Lion-o put up his hand and his brother was silenced. The young king pulled the sword from his gauntlet and looked at it, the stone in the cross guard, the weave below it. He ran his fingers along the cross guard and down the hilt, touching lightly against the pommel. He had said that he would give anything to save her. Anything. The lion closed his eyes, debating with himself over whether her life was worth it. Should he give up the sword?

"Yes" he finally said. The others were in shock as the snow leopard nodded and turned. The monkey brought the cup to Kalihara's lips and poured it into her mouth carefully, with the polar bear saying a hymn of an unknown language with his low voice. The entire room was vibrating with the sound coming from his vocal cords, as the monkey pulled the cup from Kalihara's lips. The hymn stopped as everyone watched Kalihara lying there. Her mouth moved as she swallowed the water. No sound came from anywhere as Lion-o watched her. What seemed like hours was only a minute as all they could do was wait. After one minute had passed, Kalihara stopped breathing. Her dying breath escaping from her lips could be heard throughout the room, with her visible emerald green eye no longer blinking. Her head slowly rolled towards Lion-o, though she wasn't looking at him, her eye lifeless.

"It has provided judgment" the snow leopard said. Lion-o felt like he was struck down. He couldn't believe it. She was dead. The water must have poisoned her to stop the pain she was feeling. He fell to his knees, staring blankly at her still body.

"May we have the sword?" the fox asked. Lion-o looked up at her. It was the payment for the chance to save her. The young king was numb as she took it in her hands and walked away. Bengali was nearly in tears as he couldn't look at the dais. Cheetara was held by Tygra as he closed his eyes. The cubs were hugging Panthro as they both cried. The lion just sat there, stuck in his own world as he was lost in thought about his choice. He must have made the wrong choice. He must have made a lot of wrong choices in his life. Everything that he had done, everything he had just done, would doom this world. It doomed the woman he loved. The monkey and polar bear picked up Kalihara's body and carried it with them.

"Where are you taking her?" Lion-o asked quietly.

"We are preparing her in a room" the monkey told him. He must have been referring to a burial ritual, with wrapping her in linens and cleaning her up. She was just a body now after all.

"Would you wish to see the process?" the snow leopard asked.

"No, I… no, I don't…" he choked out as his eyes wandered the floor. He couldn't bear the thought of seeing them remove the bandages. For all he knew, they would prepare her by removing all of her organs and sewing her back up. She'd eventually turn into a mummy over a period of time.

"Lion-o, I…" Tygra tried to speak, but no words came to his mouth.

"I just… need some time please…" Lion-o told him as he sat there. His sword was gone, and Kalihara was a lifeless corpse in another room. One of the few rays of hope had been snuffed out for him.

"Yeah… I hear ya… maybe… maybe get some air?" Tygra asked.

"Before you gain such air, young king, I would speak with you" the snow leopard said as he came out of nowhere.

"About what? You can't get the sword to work?... how does the water work anyways?" Lion-o asked.

"It is about the water. You have doubts about its judgment" the priest said.

"I have doubts about everything right now! Look at me! My sword is gone, my home is gone, and the woman I love is gone! I have nothing! Mumm-ra has everything!" Lion-o roared at him.

"The water is created as an after effect from a particular source." Lion-o was angry, but he quenched his anger with one question.

"What's the source?" he asked, gritting his teeth.

"What you seek" the priest answered. Lion-o had to think for a moment as he remembered what they set out to find. The last stone.

"Where? What is it? How is it making the water?"

"It is in this very pool you see before you, and it is the matter stone. How it is making the water… well, not everything should be made clear to mortals, know that it does, and it is here" the priest told him. The snow leopard walked to the front of the pool and raised his arms to the ceiling. Lion-o stood up on shaky legs and wiped the tears from his eyes as he walked over to see what he was doing. At the last moment, he dropped his hands and pointed at the water.

"Place your hand into the water" the priest told him. Lion-o slowly pushed his hand into the pool, but was stopped by an unknown force. It almost felt like the shield the spirit stone created. He pulled his hand out and looked at the gauntlet in thought.

"No… wait…" the young king whispered to himself as he put the gauntlet onto his arm and pushed it into the water. The spirit stone started reacting as he no longer felt the invisible obstruction, and felt one small object inside. His face was an inch from the pool as he gripped the item and pulled back, but was stopped by the priest.

"I give you a warning. If you retrieve the stone, it will render this water powerless to help those who it would find worthy in the future. The water would lose its strength within a year" the snow leopard explained.

"A lot of good that did for her" Lion-o snarled at him.

"What would it do for others?" the priest asked. The lion stopped and thought for a moment. What would it do? There would be others who would have fought long and hard for their homes, their families. They'd fight back against evil to protect, to keep safe… just like Kalihara. The stone was physically in his gauntleted hand, ready to be pulled.

"I… understand…" he answered as he sighed.

"You may pull the stone to see if you wish. The water will not lose its strength if the stone is in the temple." Lion-o picked the stone out carefully. It was a diamond shape, glowing blue in his hand. As he looked it over, he realized it was nothing fancy, but powerful indeed.

"Why would the book of omens and sword tell us it was in other places around the world?" he asked.

"It is the matter stone. It is everywhere and yet nowhere. It comes when it is called for, and leaves when it is not supposed to be there. The spirit stone called to it through your will. Those places are where it would dwell away from here, as you have pulled it from the pocket plane it resides inside of with the spirit stone." The lion stood there staring at the gem as he thought carefully.

"With that we could stop Mumm-ra except…" Bengali started to say as he realized their problem.

"The sword" Lion-o replied quietly.

"There is more company" the priest told him. Lion-o looked up and towards the door. He could hear rumbling and immediately knew it to be warbots moving above.

"No, not right now… can't we get some peace and quiet for once?" Lion-o growled.

"They must have attacked for the same reason as we came into the city; to find the stone. Now that we have it, they'll come to take it from us" Panthro stated.

"Not if I can help it" the lion snarled as he instinctively reached for the sword that wasn't with the gauntlet. He looked towards the snow leopard, but he was gone. Without his sword, he'd have to improvise.

"Thunder Cats, ho! We need to defend this temple! They don't have the right to defile this place, and they don't get the right to this stone" Lion-o yelled as he charged to the door. He wondered why he was even protecting it when it had taken the life of the lioness in his dreams. Everything was being second guessed in his mind as they stayed near the entrance.

"Use the hallway" the voice of the arctic fox whispered from nowhere. Lion-o turned around and saw a hallway to his right that just wasn't there before. He blinked in surprise. It quickly faded as lizards started rappelling down from the crevice.

"Tygra, Panthro, keep them from entering this door. Kit, stay with them, use your flupe to slow them down. Kat, Cheetara, Bengali, we're going up" Lion-o commanded. They nodded in agreement as he headed up through the hallway.

"Return the stone" the fox requested.

"I'll bring it right back! I swear it!" he yelled. There was no response as they headed down the hallway and upwards. There was an exit that he was surprised the lizards hadn't seen. Did the hallway appear just to let them out? The whole temple was beyond anything his mind could figure out, and focused on the coming battle. As they came out, they found that there were only two warbots and four platoons of commando lizards. He immediately realized that one of those platoons was up in the trees sniping when he dodged a pulse shot. The sky was dark with the sun already setting.

"Bengali, knock those guys out of there. Cheetara, mix it up. I'll handle the warbots. Kat, I'm sorry to ask of this, but I need a distraction to hold the rest up" the young king said.

"You got it" Bengali replied.

"I understand" Cheetara told him quietly as she shot off towards the mass of lizards around the crevice.

"For Kali!" Kat yelled as he ran to a log on a nearby hill and jumped on it.

"Hey you scale faces! Come and get me!" he yelled. The lizards didn't come up to get him, and instead fired up in his direction. He dodged and jumped behind the log as one of the shots slammed into a rock that was bracing it on the edge. The log started rolling down after them as Kat blinked.

"Nice distraction!" Lion-o yelled out as the cub grinned. He wanted to think he meant to do that, or that maybe someone was helping him. He looked up and saw two Quekans flying overhead through the tree tops.

"Come on down and play!" Bengali roared as he struck his hammer against the tree trunks, shaking some of the snipers out, and felling the weaker trees. One of them happened to cause another distraction and made the platoons scatter as it came down. Lion-o grappled onto one warbot with the gauntlet and hid on its back as it tried to knock him off, with the other bot turning around and bringing its arm down. The young king fell off as the arm slammed into the armor, causing it to stumble with panels flying everywhere. The power source was on the back apparently, as the lion ran up to the next one and grappled again. This time, however, the warbot ripped the talons from the gauntlet out and threw them aside, and just as he was falling, a mound of soft dirt appeared under him as the matter stone glowed in his hand.

"Huh, nice save…" he whispered as he had no idea how it had worked. He wanted to attach it to the gauntlet, to improve his fighting capability, but he knew that it had to be returned. As much as he hated how the water had judged Kalihara, it might find others worthy enough to heal them, strong leaders for other species or kind and pure warriors that they might meet in the future to finish Mumm-ra.

"Lion-o! Look out!" Cheetara yelled as she pointed her staff at the back of the warbot and grew roots from the tip, ripping into the sides and shattering the armor. The cannon on the shoulder fired in an awkward position as it slammed the round straight through a nearby tree, with the wood coming down right over the crevice, blocking it. Tygra and Panthro kept any lizards from coming through the door, with Kit continuously playing her flupe just as they entered and were slowed down while Panthro knocked them out with his Nunchaku. The ones that wore helmets with ear protection were intercepted by Tygra or shot before they were able to rappel to the ground. As Lion-o picked up a strong piece of wood and started using it at a club, with the spirit stone producing a shield, one of the rounds flew by his hand with the shield angled in the wrong direction, and knocked the matter stone away from him. It seemed to be slowly pulsing.

"The fourth stone!" a creepy voice yelled out from nowhere. There was a loud rumbling as crashing through the trees was Mumm-ra's coffin, as it rolled to a stop. The coffin opened to show Mumm-ra walking out, fully armored with Pumyra by his side.

"Whiskers…"

"Bring me the stone, now" Mumm-ra ordered.

"By your will master" Pumyra replied as she ran towards where the stone was lying.

"No!" Lion-o yelled as he ran to retrieve the stone. Pumyra fired her pellets from her arm crossbow as he brought up his spirit shield. Cheetara was busy handling the remainder of the lizards while Bengali ran to intercept the last warbot that was surprisingly still standing. It fired once and knocked Lion-o back, with him rolling on the ground and struggling to get up. It gave Pumyra an advantage in the long range she was at. The white tiger finished the warbot off by knocking its legs out from under it, causing it to slam into the ground as he crawled onto its back and rammed the head of his hammer into the exposed power core. It exploded as he jumped back, barely able to dodge the fire that erupted outwards.

"That was for Kalihara" he whispered. Mumm-ra aimed his Sword of Plundarr at Lion-o as he got up and ran towards the stone, but Kat threw his grapple and latched onto his arm, pulling it away as the beam missed completely.

"Insignificant insect, how dare you" Mumm-ra growled out as he lifted his arm with Kat still holding to the line.

"Hehe, uh… you're a lot bigger when my feet aren't touching the ground…" he half chuckled nervously. Mumm-ra twisted his arm and threw the young cub away.

"Ahhhh!" he screamed as he fell, with Cheetara catching him at the last second. Bengali leapt through the air, ready to pound Mumm-ra's head in with a well-placed strike. Mumm-ra fired his beam at him, knocking him away as he rolled on the ground, holding his chest from the pain. Lion-o and Pumyra both reached the stone at the same time, and leapt at it. Their hands landed on it as Pumyra pushed against his face, with him pulling the stone towards him. The stone was strobing faster now. She kicked as he blocked and rolled over her, struggling to get it away from the puma. Mumm-ra fired another beam at Lion-o as he pinned Pumyra's arms and nearly had the stone back, with Cheetara blocking the strike with a wall of roots. The monstrous mummy turned his attention towards her, and fired another continuous beam with her blocking with another root shield.

"Can't… hold it…" she hissed out as from his other arm, another beam. The second beam smashed through the wood and sent her flying towards the crevice, rolling through the foliage of the downed tree and disappearing into the depths. Tygra caught her from below as he shot the last lizard in the back, with Panthro slamming two of their heads together. Kit stopped playing her flupe and started panting from how long she had to do it without taking another breath. The young king rolled backwards with Pumyra still struggling to keep a hold of him and get at the stone, but with his backwards somersault she was kicked away. Mumm-ra flew towards the rolling Lion as Kat ran with intent to knock Pumyra off her feet. The stone flew out of his hand and bounced twice, landing on the same soft dirt mound that had kept the king from harm as the warbot threw him.

"That stone will be mine!" Mumm-ra yelled.

"It belongs to this temple! It doesn't even belong to me!" Lion-o yelled back. The stone was strobing quickly as Lion-o dashed to reach it, with Mumm-ra firing at him. One of the beams slammed into his spirit shield, while Pumyra took aim. He couldn't block both from two different directions. He kept the shield up for Mumm-ra as the pellets slammed into his shoulder and arm, piercing into his fur as he yelped in pain. He had to keep going, to reach the stone. Kat came up behind Pumyra just as one of her pellets slammed into the back of the king's knee, knocking him to the ground in a rolling mass of limbs. He was a few feet from the stone when Kat jumped on her back and started pummeling his fists into her head, yelling and screaming.

"Ow! What the…" she yelped as she struggled to get the cub off her. The pellets stopped firing as Lion-o crawled as fast as he could to reach the stone. At the last second, Mumm-ra had reached it with his finger touching the gem. It was glowing brightly as the monstrous form held it up in the air.

"No…" he whispered as he looked up.

"At last, I have it! Now, to finish you off" Mumm-ra laughed out as he aimed his sword right at Lion-o's head. He grimaced as he waited for the end. The stone was glowing brightly as it started to blind both of them.

"What's happening?" Mumm-ra growled out.

"It is removing itself from the conflict. It is choosing" the snow leopard's voice echoed through the woods. The stone suddenly exploded out of the mummy's hand and headed straight up to the sky.

"No!" Mumm-ra yelled as he flew up after it. Lion-o struggled to stand up, watching the scene. As the flying animated corpse reached the stone, it seemed to multiply, and scattered in different directions away from the forest.

"The stone! Why?" Mumm-ra roared. Pumyra slammed Kat's back into a tree, knocking the wind out of him as the cub fell to the ground. She turned around and aimed her crossbow at his head as he winced, his young eyes looking up at her. Her hand was trembling as she seemed to be holding onto the string for all she was worth, not wanting to let go. Her eyes were betraying her actions, as a look of sadness could be seen deep within. She was fighting, of what it was Kat couldn't see. Her emotions were conflicting as she aimed at the cub.

"Not again, we aren't losing another member" Lion-o snapped as he fired the talons from the gauntlet straight at her. They wrapped around her arm and pulled, launching her through the air and rolling her into another tree. Mumm-ra flew down and grabbed her arm as Lion-o limped towards Cheetara, helping her up as Bengali got to his feet.

"I cannot be stopped! This is not the last you have seen of me! Mumm-ra! The ever-living!" the mummy roared as he landed next to his coffin, got in, and had the wheels do a 180. The wheels gained traction as it tore off through the forest again, returning from whence it came.

"The stone's gone…" Lion-o said solemnly.

"At least Mumm-ra doesn't have it" Cheetara told him.

"Yeah…"

**[Half Hour Later]**

"I'm sorry we lost the stone. I don't know how it happened. He had it in his hand and the stone just… I don't know" Lion-o explained as the snow leopard stood there in front of him, surrounded by the other priests.

"It believed it wasn't needed here in the conflict at this moment. When you took it from the pool, it was expecting to be united with the other stones. When you took it outside, it realized it was not in the temple. When your enemy fought and won, it realized the battle for it. As you can see, it wants order, not the chaos of violence. It creates, not destroys. The balance of the other stones remedies this" the fox told him quietly with her soothing voice.

"Then why does it judge and kill with the water?" Lion-o asked.

"The poison is created to ease the person who is suffering into the afterlife with a numbing agent. It is not destroying, the poison does this for it without causing chaos" the owl told him. Lion-o was sitting on the ground holding his arm. He was bleeding from multiple pellet wounds.

"We will tend to your wounds" the monkey told him.

"As long as I'm not getting poisoned by the medical aid…" he grimaced as he waited.

"Stay for the night; rest and recuperate" the snow leopard offered.

"It'd be foolish to try and head out in the dark in a rainforest we know so little about. I guess we don't have a choice" Tygra said as he leaned against the wall. They were each brought to small bedrooms with one torch on the wall. They were paltry in furniture, with a bed and chest in front of it. Lion-o's arm was tended to by the fox as he realized he felt nothing while she bandaged him. She removed the pellets still inside his skin, with no pain whatsoever. The priests were skilled healers even without the water.

Cheetara stood in the dome room with the torches lining the walls. She was doing her best to read the writing and the paintings.

"He did not have time to teach you everything" the owl said behind her. Cheetara looked over her shoulder and saw him a few feet away. It was creepy how they could sneak up on them.

"A cleric's training was never done. We all knew that. There was always something to learn from, something to teach" she replied as she looked at the ceiling.

"He was not able to unlock what you have hidden. He was supposed to bring you here." Cheetara turned around and stared at the owl in surprise. She had no idea what he was talking about.

"Jaga? Why would he bring me here?" she asked.

"Your speed, your drive, it can be used for other things, albeit with much less effect, and only for short periods of time. You have seen him do the same have you not?" he asked. She nodded slowly.

"The power of the spirit is mighty indeed. If harnessed, it can create overwhelming strength, intellect, manipulation of the outside world… and speed. You are a cheetah. You are fast. You can be faster for a short time if you learned what he could not teach you" the priest told her.

"Could… could it have an effect on other things as well?" she asked.

"It depends on how you wish to use that ability. It is a double edged sword, however. When you use that energy, you weaken your own spirit to enhance, to improve, to repair, to heal. When it is used, you may improve an aspect of yours or those around you, but it will balance after the time is up, reducing what you wanted to yourself. The time drastically shortens the larger the effect you wish as well. If you wished to be invincible, you may become that, but it may only work for a very short time, and the after effects could be… drastic" the owl explained.

"Is it the same for everyone?"

"No. Those who are not attuned cannot provide these effects, and those who have not been trained prior would take years to come close to understanding how to control it. You, we sense that your mentor provided that training. We can open your eyes to your spirit if you wish. Use it wisely, for it is your own strength that you pull from to provide what you desire" he told her. She thought it carefully over for a minute. She could pull power from her own spirit, her soul, to provide an enhancement to something around her, to herself if she wished it, and depending on the effect, the time it would last could be long or short compared to the strength of the effect. If she forced the strength to move mountains on someone, like Bengali, then when it ended she could fall to the ground, unable to move her own body for a time, maybe harm herself greatly.

"Could I run out of this, this energy from my own spirit?" she asked.

"It would eventually, but only if you used it quite often. The wisest would control the effects carefully, and only in dire situations. It regenerates slowly over time, with the spirit gaining bursts from a positive emotional event, or hampered by a negative one."

"You said it could heal… I once saw Jaga do it to my arm when I was… younger. I could barely walk I was so weak. He somehow healed my body, allowed me to train with the others after my… trial. What happens? Do I take the wound myself?" she asked. She was worried that if she tried to heal anyone in the group, that it would transfer the pain and bleeding to her own body, rending flesh and muscle to help one of her friends.

"If the effect is strong, yes, however the body does its best to diminish this, so it may not be as harmful as you may think it will be. If it is minor, then you may simply be winded or tired from the exertion. It depends on the person. Some are far stronger in spirit than others, capable of producing effects beyond your wildest dreams." She had read stories of cats who could fling fireballs through the air, call down lightning from the sky, and freeze with a glance. Was this control of their spirit? Weren't those just fables told to cubs to give them something to daydream about?

"Can you tell how strong my spirit is?" she asked.

"Strong enough to use the training. Not as strong as heroes of legend. Care must be taken. Would you wish to complete your training in this regard?" he asked. She thought carefully and sighed.

"If it helps to stop what happened to Kalihara happening to another… I'm willing."

**[Meanwhile]**

Lion-o sat in his room staring at the floor. He couldn't sleep despite the exhaustion. All he could think about was the lioness in another room and the stone disappearing. He had not only failed her, but the priests of the temple. He swore he'd bring it back, and he broke his word. His sword was gone, and any hope of fighting Mumm-ra was gone with it. He finally was able to lie on his bed, staring up at the rock ceiling. Every time he tried to go to sleep, he saw Kalihara walking away from him down a tunnel towards a light. He tried to reach her, but each time his hand would land on her shoulder, he'd wake up with no one there. She was gone. Tygra knocked on his door softly.

"Enter" he said groggily as he sat up on his bed. His brother walked in and leaned against the wall.

"How are you feeling?" he asked the lion king.

"I don't feel anything…" he replied.

"Stop. You did everything you could. You tried to make the right decision. Anyone would have done the same thing. You said it yourself. Hope is the only thing driving us right now. You kept the stone from Mumm-ra. Life will go on" the tiger prince told him.

"If it was someone else making the decisions, we wouldn't even be in this mess to begin with. They wouldn't be some love struck fool with glazed eyes staring at some woman and letting his guard down. I should have told Ahern about the lizard's technology, I should have told him to expect the unexpected from them, and I should have charged into the room with the spirit shield up to get her out of there…" Lion-o growled as he looked at the floor.

"You couldn't get through that fire unless you set yourself on fire as well! The shield protects against one way remember? You aim it forward, it doesn't protect the ground. You aim it at the ground, you slip and fall on your face. Remember when you tried to use it on the side of the mountain when we found the second location for the matter stone?" Tygra asked.

"Yeah… a small rock avalanche happened and the only way to get away was for me to use the spirit stone to block one strike, which knocked my arm down towards the ground. Turned into a sliding sled that shot me down the rest of the path and to safety."

"Exactly. None of us knew it could be used that way, and when you tried to do it again with nothing happening around you, you knocked your legs out from under you. You would have done the same trying to save Kalihara from the fire" Tygra tried to explain.

"I could have stopped the whole thing by leaving her alone!" Lion-o snapped at him. Tygra looked at his brother with a hint of sadness in his eyes.

"Just because things didn't work with Pumyra didn't mean you didn't deserve another chance at love. You told her how you felt. There was no way you could have known the cubs would pull a prank like that, and certainly they didn't know it was kerosene they were pouring. It was a series of mistakes. If Bengali hadn't continued following her, she wouldn't have headed to the ship to sleep. You couldn't have known of future."

"We should have marked those cans carefully… I should have set the ground rules with Bengali to not pester her when she didn't want others near her… I should have been more careful when I told her how I felt…" Lion-o said as he closed his eyes.

"You were in love. You still are. Stop beating yourself up. It isn't your fault. You have to move forward Lion-o. You're a king. Despite what I say and how I've beaten you at almost everything, you are my brother, and you are one of the strongest cats I've ever known." Lion-o opened his eyes and looked at Tygra. He nodded as he left the lion's room.

"Oh, and please, go easy on the cubs. They may have played a prank gone badly, but they're young, and they cared about her just as much as you do" the tiger prince said over his shoulder as he closed the door. Lion-o leaned against the headboard of the bed with his arm bandaged up. He noticed he could move it freely now an hour after the fox had left. It seemed odd, and as he untied the bandages to check on the bleeding, he was shocked. There wasn't a single opening from the pellets. He was fully healed. He glanced up at the door and back down at his arm. Somehow, the priestess had mended his wounds overnight. He slid down into bed, still thinking about all of his actions, and eventually fell asleep with no nightmares, but no dreams as well. His dream was dead.

**[Morning]**

Lion-o awoke and got out of bed softly, putting his clothes on and snapped his armor in place. As he left the bedroom and walked down the hall, he reached a room that simply wasn't there when he walked down it the first time. Inside were four torches lining the cobblestone walls, with a wooden bench table covered in assorted food. All of it was simple, with plain wheat bread, a wheel of cheese, some dried meat and a pot of potato stew with carrots. A few figs and two mangos were also on the table. There was a water carafe in the middle, and placement settings for every member of the team… excluding one. His heart clenched as he shook his head from thinking about what had transpired the other day, and sat down. The others were slowly drifting in to eat beside him. No one really spoke, beyond conversation revolving around where the stone might have headed. They needed to find it, use it to stop Mumm-ra, and return it within a year or the temple would become a dank pool of drinking water.

"Psst, hey… speak up…" Panthro elbowed Kat and Kit as they sat as far away from Lion-o as possible.

"I'm scared…" Kat whispered back. Lion-o looked at them.

"Come on, stand tall. Apologize" the old General told them. They both stood up and walked over to Lion-o.

"Um… we're really sorry… we didn't know it wasn't water… we were just trying to stop you two from harassing her. We just wanted you to give her a chance to relax, because we never see her really smile when she's working. She spends too much time taking care of everyone like it's her job and with you and Bengali doing…" Kit blurted out quickly as Kat elbowed her.

"…We're just really sorry" she finished. They both waited for him to explode and yell at them. Lion-o looked at Tygra. He winked and nodded at his brother. The young king sighed.

"You didn't know. It was a set of mistakes that happened that all worked against us. It won't happen again. No one could have known. Don't worry. I'm not angry at either of you. I'm frustrated, but not with you two. Just please, no more pranks?" he told them calmly. They both nodded quickly and sat down without another word. Lion-o didn't want another tragedy to happen to them. Once they had eaten their fill, they all got up and gathered their gear. It was time to leave. Lion-o took a deep breath as everyone grouped up at the hallway leading to the surface.

"Is everyone ready to go?" he asked. They all nodded in agreement. He took one last look at the ritual dais, as it might be a very long time before he came back, if at all. The stretcher was gone, as was Kalihara's body. For all he knew, her body was already buried in a catacomb somewhere deep below the temple, another cared for and loved warrior that gave her all. He had to tear his eyes away as they started to walk into the hallway. They had left Kalihara's equipment in the temple, to perhaps be buried with her body.

"Where are you going?" the snow leopard said behind him. Everyone quickly turned around. He had appeared out of nowhere.

"We're heading up and back to the equine city. Thank you, for your hospitality, and for taking care of… her… in her final hours…" Lion-o said.

"For your mission?" the priest asked.

"Yes."

"Then you would not wish to forget to bring this with you." The priest walked forward and held out the Sword of Omens.

"What? But… I thought you took it as payment?" he asked in serious confusion.

"We asked what you would give for her life. We did not want payment. It was a question, not a request for an item" he replied.

"But, why did you take it then?" Tygra asked.

"Our reasons are our own, and they were fulfilled. Now we give it back. We borrowed it. May it help you in your quest." Lion-o carefully took it from the leopard's hands and looked it over. There was nothing different about it, as his hand held onto the hilt. He placed it into the sheath attached to the gauntlet as the leopard nodded.

"I guess we'll be going now" the young king said softly as they turned around.

"I think she would be angry that you left without saying goodbye" the priest said behind his back. Lion-o stopped, his breath caught in his throat.

"What? Look, I… I don't think I could stomach seeing her corpse lying somewhere…" he replied over his shoulder.

"She is not a corpse. She is sitting in her bedroom getting dressed." Everyone was in shock.

"Wait a minute! She's alive? How? I thought…" Lion-o couldn't finish the sentence.

"You thought what?" the snow leopard asked him calmly.

"I thought she was dead! The water poisoned her!" he snapped wide eyed.

"It did not poison her. It judged her worthy."

"But she stopped breathing! Her head rolled towards me! Her eye was… was…" he couldn't speak.

"The water stops all bodily functions while it repairs the damage to the physical, and stores the mental and spiritual in another plane created by the stone. Without the stone, that plane will shrink until it is no longer there, as will the regenerative properties of the water." The priest blinked at him, waiting for him to respond. Lion-o couldn't believe it. She was alive. Tears were building in his eyes. The cubs cheered as the rest of the group had their morale skyrocket immediately. The lioness wasn't dead.

"Can… can I see her?" Lion-o asked.

"I would assume so, voice. Give it back to her." Lion-o didn't even think twice as he bolted to the other side of the domed room and headed down the living quarters hallway.

"Can I go?" Bengali asked.

"Let the voice speak, and then all will be able to enter." Bengali gritted his teeth as he watched the quickly receding form of the king charging to see the soldier. The young lion reached the last door of the hallway and opened it. Inside, sitting on a bed was Kalihara, just putting her Delta Gauntlet on. It immediately registered her as the user and activated. Her goggles were on her forehead as she looked up at him. Not one burn was shown on her face. She was completely healed.

"Thank the goddess…" he whispered. He was definitely a believer. When Thundera was rebuilt, he'd make sure there was a shrine to the deity that Kalihara worshipped. He walked slowly forward as she stood up and gazed at his face. He stopped right in front of her. He wanted to reach out and hug her close, with him being so happy she was unharmed.

"Kalihara…" escaped his lips softly as he stared into her eyes.

"Lion-o…" she replied in the same tone as she looked at him. Suddenly, her hand shot out and slapped him across the face.

"You idiot!" she snapped. He held his cheek with his hand, wondering what he did wrong.

"What were you thinking giving up that sword for my life? That sword is not equal to me! It was never equal! I am not one tenth of that thing's worth!" she yelled at him. He just kept staring at her, thinking.

"You're right" he muttered out.

"Damn right I am!" she snapped.

"You're worth far more." The anger in her emerald eyes disappeared as she muddled over what he had just said.

"Fool…" Kalihara looked away from him and sighed with her eyes closed. She was frustrated with his responses.

"My life is not worth every other life on this planet, or of this galaxy. You would sacrifice everyone just for me? That's more evil than Mumm-ra! If you have a choice between my life and that sword, you choose the sword. Always, got it? Their lives for mine. Swear it!" she yelled at him. He couldn't speak.

"Swear it Lion-o!"

"I…" he looked away from her.

"Lion-o!"

"I swear it…" he whispered out, his hands clutched into fists.

"Good." She calmed down as they both looked at each other. Neither said a word as their eyes just gazed.

"Kalihara, I still care, and don't ever think that I can just push those feelings aside. I'm not going to wait for a princess to come along when I want you." He blurted it quickly as he didn't know if he would ever have another chance.

"Lion-o…" she groaned as she took a deep breath.

"You keep telling me to look for someone else. What about you? How do you feel?" he asked.

"Lion-o, don't start this again… by the goddess I just got the bandages removed and my suit on!" she warned.

"I'm serious! I love you. Three words that I mean. Do you feel the same way? I just need to know. A direct answer. Yes? No? I'll back off if you don't feel the same way." He waited for a response. She looked up at him, with no bandages now covering one of her eyes, and sighed.

"I…" she started to say. The air between them was filled with suspense.

"Are we allowed to come in?" Tygra asked as the others filed through the door. Lion-o opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

"I believe we have two cubs that would like to apologize to you" Panthro told the lioness as both Kit and Kat slowly were pushed forward. They were slouched and scared at how she would react to them now.

"We're really sorry you were… that we poured that fuel on you… we didn't know… we swear, we won't pull another prank, we promise. Please forgive us." Kalihara smirked as she closed her eyes for a moment.

"Do you see what happens when you pull pranks? Things happen, and almost all of them are bad. I can handle myself guys. I don't need you two watching out for me… just, be more careful. One thing leads to another, and the consequence may not be what you wanted." She kneeled next to them and put her hands on their shoulders. They both nodded and hugged her quickly, thankful that she was back. As she stood back up, she looked at everyone.

"So, why am I in this room? I woke up in bed with the water apparently finished with its work, but I have no idea how I got here. We're still in the temple right?" she asked.

"Yeah, you got carried away after… well… it's a long story" Tygra replied.

"Considering I'm alive and not heading to meet my maker, I clearly have time" she told him.

"We'll tell you everything as we head back to the city" Bengali spoke up. The group filed back out as they headed to the exit hallway, with the snow leopard and the rest of the priests standing at the pool.

"Thank you. For everything" Lion-o said to them.

"We did not do anything; the water made its choice, we simply provided the labor for it to act" the snow leopard told him.

"Regardless, thank you." The group headed up the hallway, but Lion-o suddenly had one more question.

"Hey, why is it that-" he tried to ask, but when he turned around to look at the priests, they were gone. The torches on the walls were extinguished, and what looked like a clean ritual room now had cobwebs and dust everywhere. The pool looked stagnant, despite what the priest had told him about the magic of the water staying for one year.

"Whoa… could they have been… no, no, ghosts don't…" Tygra started to say.

"I wouldn't Tygra. I really wouldn't. Statements like that tend to come back and bite people in the tail" Kalihara warned him.

"Yeah, good point" he replied.

"We'll bring back the stone. I swore it once, and I will keep my word" Lion-o yelled. There was no response as his voice echoed down the empty hallways. The group left the temple and headed to the surface, and as they headed towards the city, Lion-o turned around just to see what would happen if he looked where the exit was. There was no opening, just dirt and trees.

"Incredible…" he whispered.

"What's this about a stone?" Kalihara asked as she looked confused.

**[Equine City]**

The festival had started again for the third night, with everyone celebrating. Ahern had the Thunder Cats stay at the repaired palace again, with Kalihara becoming his guest of honor. She wasn't sick anymore, as the water had cleansed her of the illness as well. With the lioness healthy once again, she was dragged into the celebrations as the cubs took her to see the sights she wasn't able to see before. Bengali tried to go with them, but Lion-o stopped him.

"She needs time away, from either of us" the young king told him sternly. Bengali grinded his teeth as he glared at the lion, but ultimately nodded in agreement. The cubs took her to the aviary, and as she stepped in wearing another white dress with red shawl, a young Quekan immediately flew down and landed on her shoulder. Abraxas was with them.

"That's… the first time I've seen a Quekan do that… They normally land nearby… mind you, this one is young, and so it may not know better" Abraxas told them. The young bird chirped as it sat comfortably on her shoulder as they moved from one location to another, not leaving its perch as the cubs showed her the city. She gave him a little scratch on the head with her finger and rubbed his chest feathers with the back of her index finger.

"He doesn't think you'll hurt him at all" Abraxas chuckled.

"Then he's right. I wouldn't hurt him or his family. Now a cassowary on the other hand, that thing is dinner" she said with a smirk and a raised eyebrow as the cubs laughed. Even when she went back to the palace, the Quekan stayed.

"Go on, your family must be waiting" she whispered to him. The bird looked at her with a tilted head as she picked him up with her finger and tried to make him fly away. The Quekan took to the skies away from the palace doorway as she headed back inside. As she walked to her guest bedroom, Lion-o was waiting with a dress suit.

"Oh hell…" she sighed.

"I'm not here to talk about that. I just wanted to know, did you have fun tonight?" he asked. She looked up into his eyes as he gave her a soft smile.

"Yes I did, though being dragged by cubs everywhere didn't give me much time to enjoy every hotspot. Watch the Taangose wine. It'll hit you like a rock if you aren't careful" she replied as she opened her door.

"Good to know. You seem to be holding your own against it though" he chuckled out.

"That's because I didn't drink any of it. I saw one of the soldiers drink some, and nearly fall on his tail from half a glass. Considering we're smaller, I don't doubt it would knock Panthro on his face" she giggled as another smile popped onto her lips while she entered her room.

"You're smiling" he noted. She looked at him with a bit of confusion.

"Yeah, what's wrong with that?"

"Nothing! Nothing, just… it's nice when you smile. It lights up the whole room when you do it… well, I'll let you get some sleep. Good night" the young king told her as he nervously gave her a small bow and went to his own room.

"Good night Lion-o" she responded as she closed the door. As Kalihara walked to her bed, the Quekan flew through the window and landed on the headboard.

"You again? You don't want to leave do you? Why? What's so interesting about me?" she asked him as she leaned close, looking him in the eyes. The little bird chirped at her as it ruffled its feathers and started cleaning itself, getting ready for bed.

"I'm sorry, but there isn't a nest in this room, and you can't sleep in my bed. I might crush you if I roll over. Don't you want to be with your family?" The bird chirped and let out a long broken series of whistles. He then balanced himself carefully and curled up with his head under his wing.

"I guess you can stay here. You're on my good side considering you don't know any better, though I'm not all you think I'm cracked up to be" she chuckled as she got ready for bed and slid under the sheets. The lioness quickly fell asleep after the excursion with the two kittens dragging her through the celebrations.

**[Meanwhile]**

Cheetara sat on her bedroom floor cross legged. Her staff was lying in front of her with her hands cupped in her lap, her eyes closed. She was meditating carefully, a small blue glow flowing from her hands towards her staff. The glow slowly enveloped the staff and started changing the material from wood to metal. Once she was finished, her eyes shot open to see what she had done. She surveyed the effect, noticing that she could do everything she previously could do with the weapon, including summoning roots. The roots however, were made of the same material. It was a minor enhancement, and would wear off by the end of the night, in which she realized she would feel a bit sluggish or tired, but it would go away as long as she remembered to use her new found capabilities with care. How it would help the group, she figured, would be difficult to fathom.


	7. Lost City

**Episode 33: Lost City**

**[Two Days Later]**

The Thunder Cats had left the equine city in search of the Matter Stone, which was now revealed to them after the unfortunate incident involving Kalihara. They had bought supplies for their journey, with some of it being paints to mark the jerry cans to prevent future problems. The book was now one line short of the four positions they would have to search to gain the newly unearthed stone, which was quick to make an escape after the battle between Lion-o and Mumm-ra.

Tygra was manning the pilot's seat as he kept the Feliner steady while they flew towards the first destination. Lion-o was in his room with Cheetara teaching him how to meditate. Everyone else was keeping themselves occupied during the short flight.

"Focus on clearing your mind" Cheetara told him softly as they both sat cross-legged on the floor. Lion-o had his eyes closed as he did as he was told. He was trying to picture pure darkness as she instructed him further.

"Now, once you have nothing, picture a point of light in your mind. Focus your view onto that point while silencing all sound around you. Believe that silence is a sound, the only thing your ears should hear."

Lion-o tried to bring the point of light he was thinking of into the middle of his vision, to make it easier to focus on it. Each time he tried it moved from one spot of his mind to the other, making it difficult to focus. He tried to not listen to anything around him, to hear nothing beyond the ever so slight white noise hum of the ship. Just as he had the point placed firmly and he was focusing on it, it slowly expanded, with an ever increasing sense of calm and contentment enveloping him. His focus faltered quickly, however, as the door opened and Snarf rolled inside on a small four-wheeled platform, the two robotic rabbits used to pull it forward. Snarf was sitting on the back of the platform with a small leather strip he must have stolen from Bengali's stash of blacksmithing materials.

"Snarf! Snarf! Snarf!" he punctuated loudly into the air as he whipped the leather, making a sharp crack! as it came back over his shoulder, the two rabbits changing their direction quickly. Lion-o stood up quickly as the small "Snarf Sled" slid between his feet and went under the bed for a second before coming back out and back through the open door.

"Snarf? What are you do… ing…" Lion-o asked as the small creature headed towards the kitchen and then flipped around, opening Kalihara's door.

"I nearly had it…" the young king told Cheetara.

"It's alright. Just keep practicing." The older cheetah smiled at him as he nodded, with Snarf quickly going back down the small hallway with a squeal as the rabbits increased their speed, as he looked fearful of something coming from behind. A small Quekan bird flew after him, letting out a high pitched alarm call and quicker chirps as it was highly irritated. The bird landed with its wings outstretched, its beak making hissing noises as Snarf entered the cargo bay.

"Snaaaarrrffff!" he yelped out as there was a crashing sound with things falling over in the next room.

"What just fell?" Panthro asked as he came out of the kitchen and looked around in the hallway. Snarf was upside down with an overturned container that had spilled out odd assortments of spare clothing for winter or harsh environments. The two rabbits had broken away from the sled and were sitting nearby, their ears moving in all directions and unharmed by the crash. The Quekan hissed again after him as it lowered its wings and waddled back to Kalihara's room. Ever since they had left the equine city, the bird refused to leave her side. She wanted it to stay with its family, but under no conditions would it abide. When it followed her into the ship each time she stored supplies, Lion-o figured it was a good idea to go to the market and buy a perch for the bird in her room, as well as a water bowl. A merchant had told him to pick up some chili peppers, in which he was highly confused. Apparently, the Quekans didn't have the capability to react to Capsaicin, so they didn't taste heat like he could. This made the chili peppers a treat for the colorful creatures. The fruits and vegetables they ate themselves were perfectly suitable for the Quekan's diet, as well as small bugs which he was more than happy to let go to the little bird instead of eating himself.

"Snarf, why… just… why…" Lion-o groaned as he stared at his furry friend lying upside down with assorted cloaks and fabrics strewn about.

"Snarf…" the red furred creature moaned as he rolled onto his feet and looked up at Lion-o, wincing. The young king sighed as the cubs came out and looked between the Quekan entering Kalihara's room and Snarf further ahead with Lion-o and Cheetara looking down at him.

"So that's where the rabbits went… we were sure we had left them back at the equine city" Kit said as they both picked up the toys and headed back to their room.

"Why was Snarf even doing that?" Cheetara asked.

"Uh, that might, well, sort of fall on my head. You see, I got kind of bored, so I fashioned a tray with wheels and a handlebar. I was gonna skim it down and expand the board, but I saw Snarf play around with it so I… well, everybody needs something to occupy them while we're flying, even him" Bengali told her hesitantly as he scratched the back of his head and gave an innocent smile while he came up behind them.

"So you let Snarf wrangle their toys to go sledding around the ship?" Lion-o asked.

"I didn't mean for him to get the rabbits. I was gonna make a wind up engine to pull him around, but I guess he figured those would work fine too" the white tiger told him chuckling. Lion-o smirked at him. There was a tenuous peace between the two of them after what had happened to the lioness. They both realized that if anything got out of control, that Kalihara would pay the price.

"Just giving everyone a heads up, we'll be reaching one of the sites for the stone in a half hour" Tygra told them from the pilot's seat as he checked where the book was pointing. The lines that emitted from it had changed color, and were no longer purple, but a diverse spectrum of blue, green, red, and white. Lion-o nodded at his brother who turned back around in his seat to continue their uneventful trip. The young king helped his small friend out of the mess he made, and noticed he was bruised on one of his front legs. Snarf winced as he tried limping forward.

"I don't think it's broken Snarf, but we might have something in the medicine cabinet" Lion-o chuckled as Snarf looked up at him.

"Here, let me try something" Cheetara told him as she kneeled. She placed her hands on the bruised paw as Snarf looked at her quizzically. The cheetah closed her eyes and concentrated, trying to use what she had been taught by the priest in the temple. Her hands glowed as she focused, with the bruise disappearing slowly. As she opened her eyes, her vision was a bit off and she felt lightheaded.

"Are you ok? What was that?" Bengali asked next to her in astonishment.

"The priests had finished some training that Jaga had started with me. I… never really understood most of it until now. It allows me to heal minor wounds with my own spiritual energy, as well as enhance certain strengths for others around me with an aura. It tends to come at a cost though, as I can become tired or have other minor adverse conditions depending on how strong of an effect I attempt. As long as I'm careful, this shouldn't be a problem. I'll be fine, just a little disoriented" Cheetara explained as she brought her hand to her forehead and shook her head slightly.

"Maybe you should sit down" Lion-o suggested as he helped her to the small couch to the left of the cockpit.

"Yes… I'll be fine in a minute." The cheetah sat down slowly as she kept her eyes shut, the dizziness fading.

"I guess I'll go tell the others to get ready" Lion-o said as Bengali nodded. The white tiger started to clean up the mess that Snarf had made as the young king walked back to the bedrooms, first telling Panthro to stop doing whatever he was doing and get prepared to disembark from the ship while he was in the kitchen.

"Do I still have time to finish my sandwich?" Panthro asked. Lion-o nodded as the old General gave him a thumbs up and started to take huge bites of his food. The lion sighed and walked to the cub's room, opening the door with a soft whish. The cubs were sitting around on the bottom bunk, with an unknown contraption in each of their hands. On the wall, was a moving picture the likes of which he had never seen. There were wires running from the controllers in their hands to a small device placed under the bunk, with what looked like a boxy version of Kalihara's scout drone attached to the wall aiming at the opposite facing.

"What is that?" Lion-o asked. Kit and Kat were both pressing buttons on the controllers with two characters on the wall moving in response. The characters seemed to be shooting at assorted targets while they took cover.

"Reload! Back off! I'll cover!" Kat yelled as he gestured his hands to the left as he pressed a few more buttons, the movement clearly not doing anything to assist him in whatever they were doing.

"Hey, hello? Earth to Wilys" Lion-o waved his hand in front of them. Kit pressed a button on the controller and the characters froze in time, two bullets flying towards them.

"Oh, sorry Lion-o. Kalihara had this thing in her footlocker. She called it a game console. Pretty nifty. She said we could borrow it for a bit because Bahati keeps trying to chew the wires." Lion-o looked dumbfounded as he looked at the small contraption under their bunk bed.

"How many games does it have?" he asked.

"From what we saw, like… fifty? This is the first one we've tried. It's really fun. I think she had two other controllers in her locker. You could ask for another" Kit told him as they both looked at the lion poking at the machine.

"Yeah, three players would even the score in this game" Kat giggled. Lion-o stood up as they un-paused the game, the action continuing.

"Hey, we'll be reaching the next stone site in half an hour, so be ready to leave alright?" he told them.

"Yeah, sure, we'll pause when we need to go" Kit told him nonchalantly as they kept their eyes glued to the wall, the projection system on the wall turning the opposite facing into one big action sequence.

"Combo!" Kat giggled as Lion-o left. He had no idea the lioness had something like that in her equipment. Maybe everything she had wasn't just for combat, but to keep her occupied during long missions away from home. The young king walked to her room and knocked.

"Enter" the lioness's voice said from the other side, and the door slid open. Kalihara was sitting on her bed with a Personal Data Assistant in her hand, typing away as a wire led from it to the spider drone. She seemed to be typing on it while the Quekan seemed to be preening himself nearby. She had a stylus held in between her lips as she worked on something involving the little machine. Her eyes looked up at him as she put the pad down on her lap, waiting for him to speak.

**[Music: Ólafur Arnalds - Ljósið]**

"You named him Bahati?" he asked with a smirk on his face.

"It's Camerian for Lucky" she replied as she gestured at the small bird staring at him. Bahati gave out a light chortle as he looked at Lion-o, wondering why he was there. Lion-o walked over and put his hand out to try and give the young bird some attention, but the Quekan hissed a bit and looked like he would bite.

"Easy, I'm not going to hurt you" he cooed softly as Bahati looked at his hand, and then to his face. The young bird got up slowly and waddled a bit forward, his beak half open.

"Is he going to… you know… bite?" Lion-o asked, worried his beak was open for a reason.

"Not unless you give him a reason to. I haven't quite gotten all his mannerisms down, but I don't think he's inherently territorial. He just doesn't really know you. He hides when the cubs come in, or when anyone else shows up for that matter. I'm surprised he's so fearless of me despite the fact I'm just like everyone else here" she told him as her hand gently went out to the bird's head. Bahati turned and bowed his head carefully, waiting for the scratch to his head he enjoyed. He received what he was expecting as her claw rubbed behind his neck, his feathers ruffling a bit as his eyes closed. He emitted a soft cooing sound as he accepted the attention.

"I take it he's perfectly fine with being here" Lion-o said softly as he watched her giving the Quekan a scratch.

"So far. He'll probably want to stretch his wings the next time we land, and I won't blame him. I'm trying to figure out how to train him quickly to know when to come to me, but I really don't have any knowledge about birds." Kalihara looked at her data pad and looked at the spider drone. She let out a soft sigh as she hit a button and watched the spider drone turn on, turn its body and rotate the machine gun turret. As soon as it went through its basic startup procedures, Kalihara looked at Lion-o.

"Here goes nothing" she said just as she was about to hit a button labeled "Test mode 1."

"Wait, what are you doing?" he asked curious.

"Testing some experimental equipment I had in my locker. I was given it before we went on our classified mission, before… well, you saw me in the stasis pod. Our team engineer was supposed to install the parts into my drones and the armor… I hope I did it right…" she explained as she looked at the little robot.

"What's supposed to happen?" he asked as he scratched his top lip, listening intently.

"What's SUPPOSED to happen is it should be able to project a mobile energy shield in front and to the sides, allowing mobile cover against most forms of damage. State of art, but like I said, experimental. I don't even know if I put it in right" she told him as she pressed the button. The spider drone engaged something inside, a sharp whining sound reverberating from its parts, and promptly spun its turret around and turned off in a short circuit. ERROR 403 was shown in red on her data pad.

"Frack!... great…" she snapped as she let out a sigh.

"I take it that it didn't work as intended" Lion-o watched as he felt sorry for the lioness.

"And more than likely I forgot to solder some wire inside somewhere… Siegfried… where are you when I need you…" she grumbled as she stared at the drone.

"Do you need any help?" he asked as he looked at the spider drone.

"Yeah, an instruction manual. I don't know what I'm doing. I figured placing the shield emitter in front, soldering the wires where they need to go, attaching the power cords to the power core, I tethered and secured all the attachments and checked to make sure the emitter was clear of all obstructions. The thing should work, in which it has clearly proven otherwise. This is why I left the more complex stuff to the people who were trained for this stuff, like Siegfried. He could make anything work, guaranteed." Her left hand shot to her forehead as she did a face palm and shook her head.

"Maybe Panthro can take a look at it" Lion-o suggested.

"No, I'll figure it out later, or maybe find out that it doesn't even work and it should go back to the drawing board. Until then I'll just disable the feature in its engagement systems. I'd rather it not go Charlie Foxtrot in a hail of haywire while I'm under fire" she told him with a sigh as she stared into space at the drone, her face showing she was thinking of how to address the problem.

"I take it Siegfried was a member of your team?" he asked quietly. He didn't want to push her into telling anything about her past unless she wanted to.

"Best engineer I've ever seen. He tended to overcomplicate a few things and ramble from time to time, but I've never seen anyone better than he was… I miss him… I miss them all…" she trailed off as she took a deep breath as if bolstering her resolve and will in warding off some emotion creeping up inside of her. Lion-o didn't push, he knew it was a touchy subject.

"Well, I better get myself ready. We'll be landing in about twenty minutes, I just wanted to give you a warning we'll be heading out. Tygra has flown us to one of the positions for the stone, and hopefully we'll get there without Mumm-ra finding out." Kalihara nodded as she looked at him without a word and turned to feel a nudging from Bahati giving small kisses on her forearm with his beak. She snorted in amusement as she picked up the little bird carefully and put him on her lap, as the young Quekan settled in quickly for some petting that he felt he was due.

"I really don't understand why you stick by me little one. You've known me for two days at most" she chuckled.

"It's easy to figure out" the young king said softly as he walked to the door. Kalihara looked up at his face as he looked at her over his shoulder. She quickly diverted her eyes as the bird chirped happily while he was given a good scratch.

"Fool" she whispered as her eyes glanced at his while a small grin crept on his face.

"I meant what I said, about willing listen when you're ready. I'll leave you to get dressed for the excursion" he added quickly as he opened the door and stepped out.

"Lion-o" Kalihara quickly said as he stopped and looked over his shoulder. She wasn't looking at him, but at Bahati as he cooed from the attention. There was a moment of silence as she thought out her words carefully.

"Thank you, but it may take a bit more time" she finally managed to say. She was still bunkered up in her emotional fortress, but at least she knew there was someone there to come out of her shell to talk to if she chose.

"You're welcome" he replied as he closed the door and walked back to his own room. He quickly grabbed his gauntlet and sword, brushed his teeth and tried to comb his hair, with little effect. He smiled at the small mirror, not wondering how he looked with the goofy grin on his face, but to see if he had anything stuck in his teeth.

"Tygra to Lion-o" his brother said over the intercom.

"Wha? Huh? Uh… hello?" he answered, caught off guard by the sudden sound of his brother's voice. He was looking around at the ceiling, wondering where Tygra's voice had come from. He hadn't seen any speakers.

"There's an intercom built into the ship, you didn't know that? Anyways, you might want to come up here. You aren't going to believe this" the tiger prince told him.

"I'll be right there." Lion-o relaxed as the intercom turned off, his mind running through just what he had found.

**[Five Minutes Later]**

"That's… a lot of swampland…" Cheetara commented as she and the cubs were looking out the window.

"Correction Cheetara… that's a lot of DEAD looking swampland…" Kalihara said over her shoulder as she too looked at the ground below. The gnarled trees and plants below looked brown and black, with brackish water all around. No leaves could be seen on either, and what little ground could be seen was greyish in color. There was significant overcast of clouds throughout the land, with fog and marsh gas in patches of the swamp.

"Why correct me?" Cheetara asked.

"Swamps don't usually look like that unless something is wrong. Either it's heavy pollution… or something else. I've slogged through a few of them to know something isn't right" Kalihara told her.

"Would you know what could cause it?" the cheetah asked.

"Wrong person to ask. Pollution is the only thing I can think of, but clearly there is no industrial civilization nearby unless they're just like-" Kalihara started to explain.

"I've got a city out there!" Tygra interrupted as the clouds shifted. Everyone looked over his shoulder as he checked the console.

"You were saying?" Cheetara said with a small smile.

"I'm allowed to be wrong once in a while Cheetara, I don't know everything" the lioness smirked as she put her hands up in surrender. Tygra brought the Feliner in a long circular drift around the city, letting everyone catch a view.

"Place looks run down" Lion-o said behind everyone.

"Really rundown…" Cheetara whispered.

"It's abandoned…" Kalihara stated as her face turned into a mask of stone.

"Someone might live there" Kit commented.

"Tygra, can the Feliner catch any thermal imaging scans from below?" Kalihara asked. Tygra pressed a few buttons and a small map started to scroll by on the view screen. No heat signatures were shown.

"Pretty spot on with that idea" Cheetara winked at Kalihara. Her face was still devoid of emotion.

"I've seen enough abandoned cities to know what they look like from any direction" the lioness said solemnly as she went back to her room to get her gear ready.

"Ok, now even I want a more detailed explanation about our previous home world" Tygra said from the pilot seat as he draped his left arm over the backrest.

"Were we really that advanced?" Cheetara asked Lion-o.

"We must have been, but I'm just guessing." Lion-o rubbed his chin as if playing with an imaginary goatee.

**[Twenty Minutes Later]**

"Touch down in five… four… three…" Tygra reported as the Feliner landed on the outskirts of the swamp. There was barely enough ground for the landing gear to sit on, and Kalihara was worried it was soft soil. Once they all felt the jolt of the ship landing, the cargo bay opened with Kalihara aiming her rifle at the expanse of shallow water past. No one could blame her.

"Great, I'm just gonna love moving through that water…" Bengali grimaced. Cheetara shook her head as a waft of marsh gas played near her nose as they exited the ship. Bahati shot out of the ship before they could close the door, flying off into the sky and through the swamp. Kalihara seemed a bit worried, but she let out a short breath and walked into the water carefully.

"He'll be back" Bengali told her, trying to reassure the lioness.

"Of course he will, but the problem will be we won't be here when he does, and if he follows after we could be goddess knows where in that city." The cubs plunked into the water with a slight splash, as they both grimaced at the feel of the floor under the water.

"Yuck…" Kit muttered out as the group headed towards an island, and then continued on. Each island was barely the size of a room, with a few gnarled dead trees and maybe a plant or two that looked to be on its way to the afterlife.

"Kalihara, can you tell what's in the water to do this?" Lion-o asked the lioness as they crested another island.

"All that would do would tell me if it's toxic to us, not what the composition is. I wouldn't be able to tell you what each chemical did even if I did know. Besides, I've already done that. Nothing in the water, though that worries me more" she replied.

"Me too…" the young king said as he looked around. There were no animals living in sight. Not one sound of a bird, or bugs buzzing around. There would at least be flies or mosquitos, but not even those were seen. The trip was mostly uneventful, aside from Tygra slipping and falling back into the mucky water they had just gotten out of.

"That stuff is disgusting" he grumbled as he spat out anything that got in his mouth. After an hour they reached a much larger piece of land that oddly had a very broken brick road.

"At least we aren't in the water anymore" Cheetara commented.

"Hopefully we can find another way back without slogging through that junk again" Panthro said as he wrapped his knuckles against the brick layering under their feet. Chips of one broke off almost immediately. There was no maintenance done in a very long time. As they continued down the road to the city in the distance, they reached a long stone bridge heading to the main gate.

"Can anyone see the bottom?" Tygra asked as he leaned over the side.

"I'm not going to even try" Panthro grumbled as he stayed in the middle of the bridge at all times. Kalihara looked over the side with her goggles over her eyes, the fog obscuring everyone else's vision. The range was registered on her HUD as she aimed her rifle downwards.

"How far?" Kit asked.

"Not too far" she replied reassuringly. She was lying, as her rangefinder told her the crevice went for a kilometer at least. The weight bearing pillars of the bridge were hopefully reinforced.

The team slowly made their way over the bridge, with lamp posts placed every twenty feet, though all of them were out. Cobwebs had started to build along the sides of them as they passed the middle of the bridge and headed down the remainder of the arched path. The gate was massive before their eyes, with huge double doors as large as the Feliner. A large portcullis was also seen, but it was raised to the top, as well as the doors were wide opened.

**[Music: Ólafur Arnalds - Allt Varð Hljótt]**

"This place is huge… no one would abandon it so quickly. The walls look un-breached, so that means no one attacked this place. Considering the size, it must have been a beacon for trade as well" Bengali commented as they walked in with Panthro unpacking some torches they made prior to leaving the equine city. Kalihara didn't have enough time to have her gauntlet create any flashlights, so the only one to actually have one was Lion-o. Just as they headed down the main road through the middle of the empty city, Kalihara opened a vest pocket and pulled out a glow stick, broke it and threw it on the ground near the gate.

"Never know if we find other gates through this city. There could be miles of area" she commented as Lion-o watched what she was doing.

"Can your gauntlet make more of those?" he asked curiously.

"Yes. Anything I have in my equipment I can get more of, though technically chemical flares would be easier to mass produce compared to these." Lion-o thought it was interesting she had so many different lighting sources.

"Just exactly what are you carrying for utility?" he said quietly as they walked on.

"A small bag of 1.5" light sticks, some 6" light sticks which you just saw, some 6" high intensity light sticks which only last five minutes, and a few chemical flares. I don't usually like to carry the battery powered flares as I almost always forget to pick them up for later reuse" she explained.

"Why would you carry the smaller ones?" he asked.

"Even though they give out less light, they do have their uses, mostly for emergency paths or making bread crumb trails to get out of a bad situation in a dark environment."

"But you have your goggles to see with though" he stated.

"I've had them fail before Lion-o; it's all equipment, and it can all short out" she replied.

"I just never figured your stuff could fall apart. It's pretty rugged." Lion-o eyed her goggles that were on her face.

"Time wears on everything, though maintenance can slow it down. Even my gauntlet can eventually have problems, which is why I have an auto repair kit in my footlocker just in case." The group came to a multi-forked intersection.

"Please don't tell me we are splitting up" Kat moaned out.

"We've all got the communicators that Kalihara gave us. It wouldn't stop us from chatting" Bengali pointed at his ear with the loop over the top.

"Oh great, incessant chattering from you, why would I ever take it off" Panthro grumbled sarcastically.

"I'll have you know I was the lead singer in a band" Bengali retorted.

"Let me guess, the screaming idiots?" Tygra quipped. Everyone chuckled at Bengali's expense as he closed his mouth and looked away.

"Yeah yeah, laugh it up…" he mumbled.

"There was a band named that back on Thundera, they were actually quite popular with the teens" Kalihara remarked as she peeked through an open door into the darkness. All she saw was some worn furniture and a wall with a few paintings. Bengali perked up a bit after she had said that.

"See? She knows good music, and a good singer" he chided as his chest puffed up.

"I said teens; I didn't listen to them, so I can't comment on the lead singer" she replied over her shoulder as they continued on down the first path down a winding road.

"Didn't like their vocals?" Bengali asked as he walked next to her.

"I was a little busy with staying alive during the civil war when that band was around" she told him as she looked up at the roofs of the houses they were passing. A damaged inn sign popped out of the wall to the right further up ahead of them.

"Is it just me, or is the area getting darker the deeper we delve into the city?" Cheetara asked.

"I'm seeing it too. This place feels odd" Lion-o replied as they all stopped.

"Maybe you should pull the sword out and get a reading on where the stone should be in here. We could be lost for days inside this place. I can't even tell if it IS day right now" Tygra suggested.

"You're right. Sword of Omens, give me sight beyond sight!" Lion-o said as he pulled out his blade and looked across the cross guard of the legendary weapon. His vision seemed garbled a bit, with multiple fleeting scenes flying by. One of them showed the castle to the end of the city, and a massive throne room that easily dwarfed that of the Lair back home. Inside, with the last glimpse he caught before a massive headache rolled across his head was a glowing object and multiple chains nearby that seemed to be moving in a make shift prison cell. He was worried it was some sort of monster. He pulled his sword away as he felt dizzy, falling backwards right into Kalihara as she grabbed him under his armpits and lowered him to the ground.

"Easy… deep breaths…" she said as the others were worried. Tygra helped him back up as he shook his head a few times.

"What did you see?" Panthro asked.

"The castle to the south of the city. I think the stone is inside the throne room" he told them as Kalihara pulled a canteen from her belt and handed it to him.

"Drink" she commanded.

"I'm not thirsty, but thanks anyways" the young king told her.

"Wasn't a suggestion" she replied. Tygra was worried he might not take being ordered by a subordinate well and respond with annoyance, but all he did was stare at the canteen for a few seconds before taking it carefully from her hand and gulping twice. He handed it back to her as she screwed the top back on and placed it on her belt.

"Better?" she asked.

"Yeah, thanks." Bengali stiffened up a bit at seeing her coddling him.

"What the…" Kat yelped as he grabbed Lion-o's arm and pulled at him.

"What's wrong?" the young king asked as he looked at Kat.

"Over there!" the cub yelped as he pointed down another road. Lion-o pointed his flashlight down the direction the cub had shown, but no one saw anything.

"Shadows must be playing tricks with your eyes kid" Panthro commented. Kalihara flipped through multiple visual modes trying to see beyond what the others were seeing.

"Anything?" Lion-o asked. The lioness peered into the darkness carefully.

"Nothing. I'm sorry to say Kat, but whatever you saw might not have been real" she replied.

"I swear I saw something! It was in the shape of a cat!... or maybe dog… I didn't see the head, just the shape, but I swear it was there before it darted around the corner!" he pleaded.

"Hmm, well, thermal is clean, no target box showed up, and I've got no magnetic lock so… whatever it was, it's gone now" Kalihara told him.

"Place is screwing with us. Let's get the stone and get out of here" Tygra said as he turned around and took lead of the group.

"Could have been a scavenger or bandit" Bengali suggested.

"One that can hide their IR signature? Doubtful, but then there could be some magical way of keeping that from being shown" the lioness retorted. The group continued down the path while Kat kept looking behind them, watching their backs in the event whatever he saw was real. Nothing moved behind, though at one point he could have sworn he saw some dust drift from a doorframe, and he knew there wasn't any wind traveling between the buildings.

"This place gives me the creeps" Cheetara whispered.

"I think we're all agreed on that" Panthro commented. They reached an open courtyard plaza with a fountain in the middle with two wells on either side. There was overhanging moss and vines that seemed strategically placed to add style to the fountain that would have looked beautiful if it wasn't so dark. The rope of one well was frayed with nothing attached below four feet, and the other had a bucket that was smashed on the side of the cobblestone. The smashed container seemed to have been made of new wood, so the reason for it being destroyed was confusing to the group.

"Blacksmith… another inn… restaurant… that looks like a granary…" Tygra pointed out as they looked around.

"We've been walking for a while, this looks like a good place to rest for a bit" Lion-o said as he sat down near the fountain. Though the others wished to leave the city as fast as they could once they had the stone in their possession, a chance to rest was welcome. No other sound came from their surroundings aside from their breathing and the crackling coming from the torches. Everyone's eyes were watching their peripheral vision, wondering if something was hiding just at the corner of their eyes without them knowing, but every time each of them turned their heads, there was nothing there. After ten minutes, they were up and ready to continue on.

"This looks like a residential district. The castle is at the south wall?" Bengali asked.

"Yeah, so… we need to head to the trade district in the middle, and just take the main road up" Lion-o said as he got up and moved to a post holding up the balcony of the inn.

"How do you know that?" the white tiger asked curiously.

"Because of this" the young king replied as he moved his flashlight over to a sign on the post showing an inscribed map. The stone was incredibly detailed, with gold and silver inlayed with jewels adorning key spots and names popping up at all locations.

"Hmm, you'd think all of that would have been looted by now" Panthro said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Maybe they never got the chance to get this far" Kat said in an uneasy tone.

"Or maybe they just got lost in the dark and gave up their looting to head home" Tygra replied. A form moved opposite of the large plaza they were in and seemed to dart into another building.

"Ok, I DEFINITELY saw that" Kat pointed as Bengali readied his hammer.

"I saw it too. We're not alone" he growled as the others unslung their weapons. Nothing happened as they looked around, with no sound coming from anywhere.

"Anybody see anything?" Lion-o asked as the others formed a small circle with their backs to each other.

"Nothing" Cheetara whispered as they listened carefully. There was a slight shuffling from some of the buildings, but nothing came out.

"What was that?" Bengali asked.

"It seemed to be hunched over with its arms dangling in front of it" Kat said as he kept close to the older Thunder Cats.

"I'm not picking up any IR…" Kalihara whispered.

"What does that mean?" Tygra asked.

"It means whatever is in those buildings isn't giving off a heat signature. I can't tell what we're dealing with beyond what Kat and Bengali have seen of their shape, and that's at a distance" the lioness replied in a grave tone.

"They seem to be staying away from us… for now" Panthro said in a concerned tone.

"It depends on how long though. We need to move" Lion-o commanded.

"I should walk drag, keep an eye on our six" Kalihara suggested. Lion-o had gotten used to her being to his right, and now that she wanted to be in the back of the group, he felt a bit lonely. Bengali was to the left of Tygra, so it wasn't as if she was going to be near him.

"Alright" he finally agreed as the lioness fell to the back of the group as they ripped the map off the post and carried it with them as they continued to the right of the plaza and into the trade district. They passed through a double door gateway with another portcullis, this one a little worse for wear as they soon headed left. Kalihara pulled out her scout drone and had it float by her head turned in the opposite direction, its defensive systems armed as it kept visual in a small screen attached to the HUD of her goggles.

"There's the castle in the distance" Bengali said quietly, worried that if he spoke with an even higher decibel count that those things in the buildings would hear and come out. The clouds above just at that moment started to sprinkle rain down onto them lightly.

"Oh great… just what we need…" Tygra grumbled. The torches started to fizzle from the water hitting them.

"We gotta hoof it to the castle gates or these torches may go out!" Lion-o ordered. They didn't want to be caught in the darkness with those things hiding all around them, waiting. The group started to jog down the street and headed up the long staircase to a pair of gates, each open and twisted away.

"Ok, there are lights in that castle..." Kit stated as they all saw the windows softly illuminated by candles or torches. The candles and torches would douse as something seemed to move down different paths in one direction. At one point, there were two electric lanterns that flickered eerily in one window, showing the form of some… thing in the shape of a man. The group continued up the long flight of stairs until they reached the main doors, pushing them in with a loud creak. Just as they stepped inside, the clouds started a downpour around the large building, with lightning erupting in the distance. The circular entrance room had two large curving staircases running along the walls with two arched tunnels heading beneath them. Four doors were to each side of the group with four large chandeliers hanging above them, all of them unlit. Four other doors were at the top of the stairs, with a long hallway heading further into the castle.

"We need to be careful, someone is definitely here. They could be after the stone as well… it could be Mumm-ra for all we know" Lion-o said as he looked around.

"Well if you see lights going on, we need to get away fast. Someone is definitely using magic to light candles and torches as they move" Cheetara warned.

"Agreed. Let's… go through this door over here" the young king suggested. They walked in carefully, their weapons ready and torches providing barely any light. The door opened to a small staircase heading down for twenty steps, with a rank odor coming from below.

"Ugh, what's that smell?" Tygra asked.

"Anyone else hear that?" Kit asked. Everyone stopped as they listened. There was the sound of the rain coming from outside, but further below they heard the soft sound of running water.

"Is there a river running under the castle?" Bengali asked.

"If I had to hazard a guess… sewage" Kalihara commented. The group turned around and headed back up slowly as they didn't want to be spotted exiting the door right in front of whomever was roaming the castle.

"Alright, three more doors" Tygra said as they looked at the staircases and the tunnels heading under them.

"We'll check those after, right now I think this one might be the way to the throne ro-" Lion-o started to say as he pushed his hand against the next door. A runic symbol glowed around his hand as everyone was in shock.

"Lion-o, back away carefully…" Cheetara warned.

"I'm trying, but my hand is stuck like glue to it!" the young king yelped as he tried to pull away. Suddenly, three bright rings came from the runic symbol and moved across his arms, making them disappear as they got larger nearing the rest of his body.

"Lion-o!" Tygra yelped as he bolted forward, trying to grab at his brother. The lion was enveloped in the rings as they closed around him and disappeared, the runic symbol fading from the door.

"Whiskers…" the tiger prince grimaced as his hands grabbed at air.

**[Meanwhile]**

Three bright rings appeared from thin air in another part of the castle, pushing outwards as Lion-o was dropped from upside down onto the stone floor.

"Ooph!" he grunted as he landed, holding his head. He looked carefully as he grabbed his flashlight and shown it around. The hallway he was in was dark aside from the open windows with lightning flashing every once in a while. Luckily, no other lights were on, which seemed to be a good thing given they didn't know what was causing them to turn on yet. The young king tapped his communicator on his ear and tried to speak.

"Can anyone hear me? Hello?" he whispered. He got a garbled response from the other side.

"What… Li… ha… can you… inter…ference…" he heard Tygra speak.

"I'm in another part of the castle, and besides being flipped upside down, I'm alright. I'll try to make my way back to you guys."

"Hang… Kal… cle…" he heard.

"I can't understand. What did you say?" he asked.

"Kali… can… ok, so that worked?" he heard Tygra.

"I'm swapping channels as fast as I can, but something is intentionally interfering. Trying to get a connection. Slicing softs are having a field day with this place" Kalihara said through the channel.

"Lion-o, can you hear us?" Tygra asked.

"I can hear you. I'm in another part of the castle, and I'm alright for the moment. What about you guys?" he asked.

"We're fine, but you gave us a scare a minute ago. We're gonna try and reach you. Do you see anything that can be thought of to coordinate with us? A landmark or something?" Tygra asked.

"I'm in an external hallway with windows that look out… I think… west wing maybe. I can see the remainder of the swamp from here, so no city in sight" the young king reported.

"Alright, we'll try to… meet… damn it… Kaliha… we're losing the connec…" Tygra started to fade out.

"Tygra? Tygra!" Lion-o poked at the earpiece.

"I'm… try… can't keep… losi…" he heard Kalihara saying before all he got was static. He sighed as he walked carefully down the hallway, opening one door slowly and peeking inside. He was met with another hallway that continued on, but there was a break off hallway to the right. There was no sign of anyone inside, so he carefully snuck across the stone floor and into the side passageway. As he reached the reinforced wooden door with studs running along the frame, he peeked through the small grate in the middle. He was greeted with the sight of the throne room on the opposite side, with a glowing fountain on top of a small flight of stairs. There were stain glass windows adorning the walls of the top of the room, with massive pillars as wide as he was tall. He opened the door carefully, with light creaks heard as he winced from the sound. No other lights were seen inside, so whatever was moving through the castle wasn't there.

The young king carefully crept across the ground as he hid behind a pillar, looking at a small cage near the short stairs. The door was open, with chains lying on the ground as well as a blanket strewn on the floor of the small prison. Whatever was inside had gotten out, and that worried him. He observed the fountain was anything but normal, with an eerie blue glow coming from it as the stones were lined with the inlay of silver and gold threading throughout the body of the porcelain. Two wisps of light and fog were twirling up from it, reaching towards the ceiling. The silver and gold seemed to change between each other, with the threads slowly swapping every minute like a kaleidoscope.

"Whatever it was that was here is long gone now…" he muttered to himself as he moved up the stairs and reached the fountain. The water seemed to sparkle at his approach as he looked inside. Instead of seeing the bottom of the fountain, he saw nothing but the glow of the water, as it seemed endless. He pulled out his sword and looked around once more, the glow providing the only light in the room.

"Here goes nothing… Sword of Omens, give me sight beyond sight" he whispered as he brought the sword up to his eyes. The vision was indeed of the fountain, and inside was the stone, hidden away in another pocket plane. It looked different from the first time he saw it, with the color being a light blue, and the shape looking curved, almost like it was made of liquid. He carefully pushed his gauntlet into the water as the spirit stone reacted and breached the pocket plane the stone resided in. Once his hand had a firm grip on the stone, he pulled it loose, the glow slowly fading from the fountain as the twin snaking wisps of light died away. He looked at the stone carefully as it still glowed in his hand, with the shape almost seeming alive as the form slowly moved, with no facet ever shown, only curves and twists with no points. It wasn't truly liquid, but the feel of it made him realize it was malleable, with his thumb pressing down on one spot and another area expanding. Suddenly, the lights slowly turned on at the far end of the throne room.

Lion-o dashed from the fountain down the steps and ran to the door to the hallway he had entered from, with the torches on the pillars lighting up closest to the throne room main doors. As he closed the door carefully to make as little noise as possible, the doors opened as if by command with a robed figure cast in a thick hood walking in. Long golden threads snaked across his black clothing as he stormed towards the fountain, an odd aura felt off of the being as it reached the fountain.

"No! This cannot be! Someone has taken the power of the fountain! That little sorceress will not escape this castle!" the young king heard come from the hood a whiny nasally voice emanate as the arms gestured wildly.

"I will have use of her spiritual essence by the end of this night or my name isn't Dominatos!" he yelled.

"What a horrible name…" Lion-o whispered. He closed the door just as the robed man turned on a heel and stormed towards the doors he came through, the lights extinguishing as he left. Lion-o slipped back down the hallway and looked around. He slipped the stone into a side pocket of his armor as he looked for a way to regroup with his friends. He decided to head down the hallway he hadn't used yet, and as he ran passed the windows he noticed a slight glow getting brighter down an intersecting hallway up ahead. He slid to a stop as the bluish glow stopped just around the corner.

"Not good" he whispered as he clamped his hands over his own mouth, worried that whatever was around the corner had heard him or the sound of his feet coming to a halt. He quickly looked right and saw a door to a room beyond, and dashed through it just as the bluish glow shot in the opposite direction, with him oblivious to its change in movement. The large room seemed to be a semi rundown kitchen, with pots and pans strewn about, the stoves filled with firewood and coal, almost as if left in the middle of starting to cook. Multiple tables and chairs could be seen in an open area as he used the flashlight to not knock into anything. He could see the blue glow get close to a side door's grate and realized whatever was on the other side might come in. He quickly hid behind one of the long counters and waited as he heard the door open softly while he hit the switch on the flashlight to turn it off, with another green glow sparkle and outshine the blue. He saw just around the corner a figure casting something on the door, a runic symbol growing and then disappearing into the wood.

The figure turned around and started to tip toe through the room, with Lion-o only able to barely make out the form to be humanoid. He figured if it was the robed man looking for him or his friends, and that he could take him right there and then. He held his breath as the sound of the feet moved by the counter he was hiding behind, and just as it was behind his very spot, he turned on his flashlight and shined it over the counter and grabbed at the form, pulling it across the counter and whacking the head against a pan, hopefully hurting the figure.

"Ouch!" he heard a feminine voice as the figure dropped to his side as he quickly grabbed at his sword, bringing the tip of the blade towards the figure's neck. He shined the flashlight at the face and realized it was a woman, a snow leopard to be exact. Her eyes were as blue as his own, and she was strikingly beautiful as she blinked at him. She seemed to be wearing a light blue dress that only covered her torso and cut between her legs with an armored skirt that was open in front, with the top of the dress cut deep towards her cleavage. A multi-tiered pauldron ran down her left shoulder, and what caught him completely off guard was the fact that she was wearing a golden tiara with an emerald right in the middle and a gemmed necklace. Her long wavy hair was brunette, and even in the dim light of the flashlight he saw it was well taken care of. Her right leg was covered in a studded leather thigh and shin guard, with woven golden threads running along the seams, and she was wearing leather toeless and heelless socks. He halted his next strike as he seemed dumbfounded. Could this be the woman Dominatos was looking for?

"Uh… wha…" he muttered out. He didn't have much time to think things through as the beautiful face realized what he was pointing at her and cast something directly into his chest, sending him flying backwards and smacking his back into the wall, collapsing onto a table with multiple pans falling everywhere, making a loud ruckus that must have been heard beyond the room. He slowly got up as the leopard tried to shoot by him. The young king's hand shot out and grabbed her around the ankle, tripping her quickly to the ground as he fought to keep her down and regain his breath. Her fist came down through the darkness as the flashlight lay near his hand, trying to break his hold on her.

"Ow! What the…" Lion-o winced as he tried to grab her wrists, and just as he succeeded he felt a shock ripple through his body. Somehow, she had electrocuted him to make him let go. She rolled away as he shook his head, his body twitching in spasms as he tried to fight it off and get up. The woman got to her feet as she tried to make a break for one of the doors, with Lion-o trying to keep after her.

"Wait! Hold on!" he yelled as she opened the door and came face to face with Dominatos.

"AAAHHHHH!" Lion-o heard in a high pitched scream, but the sound didn't seem to come from the woman, more from the robed man as he looked startled.

"I mean, AH got you now! You're not escaping this time becau-" he started to say just as the woman kicked him between the legs. Even Lion-o heard the crunch.

"Ah!" he squeaked in a much higher pitch as he backed off holding his lower front under the robe while she shot around the corner and disappeared. Dominatos hadn't seen Lion-o lying in the darkness as his body spasmed, as the robed figure seemed to fire lightning from his spare hand down the hallway and slowly ran after her hunched over still holding his groin. Lion-o slowly got up as he made his way to the now closing door, and tried to open it. He was met with the same runic symbol that had teleported him previously.

"Oh not agai-" he started to say just as the golden rings enveloped his body and teleported him to another part of the castle.

**[Meanwhile]**

Tygra had taken to leading the group carefully through new rooms as they searched for Lion-o with no luck.

"Have you figured out how to cut through the interference?" he asked over his shoulder at Kalihara.

"Trying to get the slicing softs to cut through, but so far nothing but static. This castle can't be that big. We'll run into him eventually" she replied.

"Can't you use those goggles to see his heat or anything?"

"Only within a certain range, and besides, whatever is playing with the communications is playing with glitching my goggles as well. I'm gonna turn them off and run a diagnostic to see if the programming can adapt to the interference." Kalihara pressed a button on the side of her goggles as two high powered flashlights turned on on either side of the lenses as she looked around.

"Relying on normal light for a while" she told him. The group walked down a long cobblestone hallway that had multiple portcullises installed at intersections that branched off to other tunnels.

"Can your drones use any lights?" Tygra asked.

"Wouldn't help. Small passages, high chance of bumping into them or stepping on them. Not advisable."

"Wonder where we are now?" Cheetara asked.

"I got a bad feeling about this" Panthro growled out as they reached the door at the end. As they opened it and walked out, they all realized Panthro was right. They had walked right into a small circular arena for pit fighting, with a seating area above. Multiple chains were hanging from the roof along with a few tapestries of a long gone family. Standing in the middle of the arena, with its back to them, was some very large armored skeleton. It turned its head and looked at them with red glowing eyes inside the sockets.

"Heads up!" Bengali yelled as it brought its huge mace up into the air for a swing in their direction.

"Scatter!" Tygra commanded as the entire group split in all directions, with Kalihara diving back through the door. The cobblestone above collapsed as the mace connected with where they previously were, and brought it down over the entrance they had come from beyond a small hole the size of a baseball.

"Kalihara!" Bengali yelled, worried she was under the rubble.

"I'm alright! I can't get through though!" she yelled from the other side, trying to ram her shoulder into the pile of rocks and timber. The mace was brought up again as Bengali turned his attention to the giant skeleton as Panthro tried to strike at its leg. The thing seemed sluggish but powerful, easily capable of bringing the whole place down on top of them if it wanted. Panthro's hit connected as a piece of armor flew away from the right femur, with Panthro in exchange being batted aside by the free arm. He rolled on the ground thirty feet as he got up, with Cheetara running to help him.

"The armor can come loose! Get that off him and we can stop that hulk of… whatever!" Panthro told them as he and Cheetara dodged another attack. Tygra's whip cracked at the right arm, trying to chip pieces of metal away from the arm cover as he shot his pulse pistol at the head. The skeleton tried to protect its head from the attack, but Cheetara had her staff project roots to hold the left arm. The skeleton twisted its right arm to bring its mace down in a sweeping motion to strike Cheetara, which forced her to evade and remove the roots. Kat grappled the mace and tied the wire around a fallen piece of the wall, in which the skeleton pulled hard against. The rock flung through the air effortlessly with Kat dropping on the ground and covering his head. The rock flew shot past and slammed right into the skeleton's face, knocking it off kilter and dropping it onto its back.

"Nice work Kat!" Bengali yelled out.

"Yeah! That was definitely my plan!" he chuckled nervously as the cub got up from the dusty ground. Bengali leapt through the air with a battle cry and slammed his hammer into the head of the skeleton lying prone, shattering the bone and sending bits and pieces flying with an energy explosion that knocked him backwards and sliding on the ground.

"That takes care of that" Tygra said just as the skeleton's body slowly pushed itself up, its left arm feeling for its head.

"That thing isn't going down without a head? How the heck is it doing that?" Bengali asked as Kit ducked a wild sweep from the huge mace, the skeleton no longer slowly attacking but simply attempting to hit everywhere at once. Kalihara primed a grenade near the fallen debris and blew it, sending the rubble exploding outwards as she charged forward a few steps, saw the mace coming down near her again, and dove through the now open entrance a second time, with more rubble collapsing down.

"Oh come on!" she growled in annoyance as she looked over her prone chest at the blocked opening. Bengali charged and slammed his hammer against the left leg, sweeping it out from under the skeleton as it kept trying to strike at its surroundings, clearly not able to see. The white tiger dove away as the body collapsed forward with its left arm bracing it, with Tygra grappling the forearm and pulling with Panthro's help. The left arm gave way with Kat grappling it again, tying the wire to a fallen log. The skeleton pulled hard at Tygra's whip as both of the Thunder Cat's feet slid along the ground, trying to keep it under control.

"Here's hoping luck is still with me" Kat gulped as the arm pulled away from the hold of the whip and swung hard, the log coming with it as it flailed the large piece of wood around it, causing more damage to the area as it swung around and slammed into the chest of the skeleton, crushing the ribcage. Another explosion of energy happened, and this time, the fight was over as the bones exploded in all directions. The Thunder Cats could barely see where they had dropped the torches, with Bengali trying to push away large chunks of stone from the entrance where Kalihara was behind.

"There's another door over here" Cheetara said as she gestured her torch to another opening. Bengali could barely move one of the stone blocks as Kalihara stood on the other side.

"I'll be fine, I'll make my way around and meet up with you guys further up ahead" she told them as Bengali looked at the two lights moving around through a small hole.

"Alright, be careful though" Tygra said.

"Yeah, I don't want to be saving your cute tail if you run into trouble" Bengali said with a smirk.

"Bengali, I can still fire through this hole you know" she warned. A small smile crept onto Tygra's face. The two lights disappeared down the hallway back the way they came as the group headed through the second doorway, onto more unknown rooms of the castle.

**[Meanwhile]**

Lion-o teleported to a pitch black area in which he quickly turned on the flashlight and swung it around. He saw he was in a bedroom, with most of the furniture was extremely expensive looking. There was a four post bed with an overhang to the east wall, with a door to the left of it and a door in the corner near the right foot of the bed that seemed to head out to a hallway. The door to the left looked to go to a small bathroom with a cobblestone bath and some buckets. There was a huge dresser to the front of the bathroom near two windows, and another on the opposite side. A large chest was sitting at the foot of the bed, with a table five feet in front of it and two chairs.

The young king was about to head to the door to the hallway when he heard running and feared it was Dominatos. Why he would care considering the woman had stopped him with a mere kick he had no idea, but he knew thinking that he was a pushover would be ill advised, as he had fired lightning from his hands before he touched the door. He quickly looked around and saw the dresser near the windows and opened the doors carefully, the slight creak of the hinges wearing on his hearing as he wished it was quieter. He jumped in and crouched inside as he pulled the doors closed with a small crack to see out of.

Just as he finished, the door burst open and closed quickly with a light moving frantically in all directions, and finally disappearing. He thought whoever it was had left the room, but he hadn't heard the door open again. As he was about to open the dresser doors and look around, the bedroom entrance flung open with all the torches and candles lighting up. At least he knew when Dominatos was around. He lit up an entire room, and not in a good way.

"I'll find you, and when I get my hands on you, I'll finish what I started! You will comply!" the robed figure said as he stepped carefully around the bed and walked past the dresser towards the bathroom. As he entered, Lion-o tried to quietly open the doors a bit more, to allow him to see more of the room and what was happening. He looked down as the crack was now an inch wide, and there, hiding under the bed, was the snow leopard, watching the bathroom door and breathing heavily. Her eyes wandered to the dresser for a moment, and she immediately did a double take as she saw his eyes peering through the doors. She opened her mouth but clasped a hand over her lips immediately, as Dominatos stalked out and stood near the bed.

"Hmm… she can't fly… she couldn't have that much essence left to cast invisibility… oh… I know where you are…" he whispered out in his nasally voice as he flipped up the silk sheets draped over the bed and stared at the woman below.

"Got you!" he yelled as she screamed. Lion-o busted out of the dresser, the doors slamming into Dominatos's back and sending him flying onto the bed and rolling into the opposite dresser. The leopard crawled out from under the bed as Lion-o grabbed her hand instinctively and ran out of the door. Just as they went through it, lightning flared from Dominatos's hand as he tried to get up, with Lion-o keeping himself between the woman and the attack. He was flung through the door as the woman watched in horror with him slamming into the wall of the hallway, twitching from the electricity, his fur standing up in different directions and making him look fluffier than he really was. She was about to take off again and leave him slumped on the ground, but hesitated and turned to close the door.

"Oh, my head…" Dominatos yelped inside as she heard shuffling coming towards the door. She grabbed the iron handle and slammed the door shut, and cast the same runic spell that had sent Lion-o to the room in the first place.

"Unuma Lana Lamatuse…" she whispered as the symbol appeared on the handle. Dominatos reached for the door and touched it, and disappeared.

"Bloody-" he groaned as he was teleported to another part of the castle, away from the woman and Lion-o.

"Ooh…" Lion-o moaned as he slowly got up holding his head, some of his muscles still twitching and his face looking fatter than he actually was due to his fur standing up. The woman walked over to him and helped him stand.

"That was very noble of you to do what you just did" she told him in what sounded like a Recian accent, similar to human French. Her voice sounded low and seductive as he looked at her, trying to see her face in the darkness. Her hand suddenly glowed with a bluish bubble of light surrounding her fingers, and he could see what she looked like far better than before.

"Yeah, it felt noble…" he muttered as he shook his head. She looked him over, her face contorted into a look of confusion as she stared at his face.

"Why are you here? Did my father send rescue?" she asked, her accent tainting her words and sounding exotic.

"My name is Lion-o, Lord of the Thunder Cats, and we're on a mis-" he started to say.

"Lion-o?!" she gasped as she looked him up and down.

"Uh, yeah, that's my name. Were you a citizen of Thundera?" he asked. Her hand reached out to touch his face, but she pulled it back as if a tether was on it.

"It really is you… I had been told Thundera had fallen… I am so happy…" she whispered as she almost leapt at him, her hands curled around the back of his neck as she hugged him close.

"Wha… uh… well… do we know each other?" he mumbled out as he was extremely confused. She pulled away slowly and looked into his eyes.

"You mean, you were never told?" she asked.

"Uh, there's a lot of information that was never given to a then prince at the time. How do you know me? Who are you?" he asked.

"It would have most likely been told to you on your next birthday. My name is Celica, Princess Celica, and I was to be your betrothed once you were to lead" she told him smiling. His mouth hung open as if the muscles in his jaw weren't there. He just stared at her, trying to figure out if she was telling the truth or was telling a fib. She smiled at him, and he could tell it was genuine.

"Wha… where did you come from? There are other cat cities beyond Thundera?" he asked.

"You mean, you were never told about us?" she asked.

"My father didn't share a lot of things about what was happening beyond the walls… and I really should have listened to him more involving the history lessons…" he told her as he looked away, his father's face smiling at him flashing through his mind.

"Then we should head there once we have stopped this monster of a man who calls himself Dominatos. This peasant magician ambushed me while I was traveling to this city to… um… I'll explain later. We should move quickly to the throne room to destroy the fountain he has erected, and escape thereafter" she told him.

"I need to find the rest of my friends before we can do that, but you're right, we need to stop this guy. Why is he chasing you anyways?" he asked as they both started heading down the hallway.

"He wants my spiritual essence. I am able to cast, as all my blood line has been able to do. My mother, and her mother, and her mother, all the way to the beginning of our family. He needs it because his own essence is pathetic, and wants to strengthen his own abilities" she told him as she seemed to pout.

"How did he overpower you if you're saying he isn't as strong as you in… magic?" he asked.

"The fountain. He has somehow come upon a power from it that can temporarily amplify his magic for a short time, however it wains quickly from whence he uses it, and the fountain recharges slowly. He wants my essence to make the need for the fountain no longer necessary, for what I have no idea. I do not even know how he is even alive inside this castle with those… things in the city."

"The matter stone… or a shard of it…" he whispered. He somehow knew the liquid stone he had gained from the fountain wasn't the whole stone, but a shard that had been cast off. He now had an idea of how many other pieces he needed to find. There would be three others if the look and feel of this one were any guess, as well as the three other lines that the book gave off before they left the Feliner.

"A stone?" she asked as she looked into his eyes while he stared down the hallway.

"That is our mission. My friends and I are fighting Mumm-ra from long ago. He's back" he told her.

"Mumm-ra? I thought he was a fable" she let out a soft giggle.

"He's real, and he's after the four stones. We have two of them, and he has the tech stone, which is why we're trying to gain the Matter Stone, or from what I've seen already, the pieces of it. I already pulled a shard from the fountain in the throne room before I nearly ran into you the first time" he told her. He explained quickly what else his group had done before getting there.

"You were in the throne room? Then… you've already stopped the fountain from functioning! I wonder… I wonder if we might be able to stop what he is trying to do" she asked.

"How long did he hold you there? In the cage" he asked.

"Two days… he enacted a ritual for those two days to siphon off my essence while I sat in the cage, contained by the spells he had cast over it. I could not break the wards he had erected."

"How did you escape?" the lion pressed. If her magic was neutralized by the wards on the cage, he had no idea how she could have broken out. She did not look to be muscular at all, and the only thing he noticed was an empty sheath for a knife on her belt.

"I used my cloak and strengthened it with a spell. The wards stop me from trying to cast out, not in. I was able to use the cloak to wrap around the chains to the door, and when he was asleep, I broke them and ran for my life" she told him as her arm wrapped around his as they walked. Her fur felt as soft as Kalihara's, and he couldn't help but keep glancing at her bust. She was his betrothed? Why didn't his father tell him there was a princess waiting out there for him?

The young king tried not to blush as he looked away.

"So… how long have you been trying to escape?" he asked.

"For half the day. He had siphoned off much, and with me constantly using my spells to keep away from him, I have neither the strength to fight him or leave the city on my own. You're here though, my prince, and now I feel we have a chance to end his miserable existence and stop this" she told him as she entwined her fingers with his own. He stiffened a bit and stood straighter, puffing out his chest.

"I'll… I'll do what I can to stop this. Is he the reason those… undead are out there?" he asked.

"I know not, nor do I care. This city is abandoned for a reason, and for all I know, he could be that reason. He could have killed them all and turned them with necromancy" she told him.

"I thought that was just in books" he replied.

"It is one of the schools of magic. You do not know much about it do you?" she asked.

"I'm more of a swordsman than a caster. The clerics were the ones who usually did any magic, if ever. Thundera isn't exactly a place where it's very active… or was active…" he told her.

"Mmm, then I have much to show you once we leave for Lyon" she cooed to him. He looked at her with a dumbfounded look, not knowing what to say.

"Uh… well… I… we should talk about that…" he started to say.

"There!" Dominatos yelled as he turned the corner behind them.

"Whiskers! Run!" Celica yelped as she tried to pull Lion-o in the opposite direction. Lion-o stood his ground as he pulled his sword.

"Thunder… Thunder… THUNDER… THUNDERCATS! HO!" He yelled as the sword grew in size, the war stone glowing temporarily. Celica hid behind Lion-o. Dominatos cocked his head under the robe, and fired a fire bolt down the hallway towards him. Lion-o blocked it with the sword, being pushed back by the force of it. The heat singed the fur on his hands.

"Ouch!" he yelped as he shook his left hand away from the hilt and blew on his fingers.

"Be careful! He is using my siphoned essence! We must run Lion-o!" she pleaded.

"I use it because you will not! You would abuse it while I would use that power to rebuild this city!" he yelled at her with a finger pointed in their direction.

"What is he talking about?" Lion-o asked.

"He is mad! He would kill me for his own gains!" she whimpered behind him as her hands held onto his shoulders. He felt inclined to protect her at all costs.

"Look, I don't care what you're trying to do, but you are leaving this woman alone" Lion-o growled at Dominatos.

"I will use her essence and finally be able to… that feeling… you… you have the fountain's power held somewhere on you! Give it back! Give it back now!" Dominatos yelled, not in anger, but in pure fear. He pulled back his robe and stared at the two of them in horror. His face was that of an orange tabby, with runic tattoos across his cheeks.

"Not going to happen. I'm going to give you one chance to stop this whole thing and back off" Lion-o yelled at him.

"I cannot stop! Not for their sake! Not for everyone's sake!" the tabby yelled at him.

"What is he talking about?" the young king asked over his shoulder.

"Who cares! He's insane! Kill him!" she whispered. Dominatos charged up another fire bolt in his hands, but Lion-o was quicker. He fired a red beam from the war stone down the hallway, barely missing Dominatos as he leapt away, nearly slamming into the wall as the charge in his hands disappeared. Lion-o ran forward as he got ready to try again, and brought his sword tip to his neck effortlessly. The tabby fired off some form of force from his whole body and pushed back at Lion-o, throwing him down the hallway. The young king rolled twenty feet back to Celica, who helped him up.

"I need that stone! Now! You would put everyone in peril to fight me! I will end this!" Dominatos yelled as his hands started to crackle. Lion-o got up and glared at the tabby, but something in his words seemed off.

"What do you mean everyone in peril?" he asked.

"He's going to strike!" Celica yelled as she pressed her hands to the wall, a runic symbol running along the cobblestone and flying right under Dominatos's feet.

"Not agai-" the orange tabby yelped as he teleported away.

"Are you alright?" she asked as she helped him up. He was battered from the constant launch of his body around the castle, and his muscles ached from being slammed into the walls and floors. The pots and pans of the table in the kitchen didn't help either.

"Yeah. What did he mean about everyone in peril?" he asked.

"It must have been the ramblings of a madman just trying to gain more power. It may be all in his head" she told him.

"No, my gut is telling me otherwise." Lion-o's communicator sputtered.

"Moving to another room, no contact" he heard Kalihara's voice.

"Kalihara, are you there?" he asked.

"Lion-o? Where are you?" she replied.

"I'm in a hallway, I've met up with someone who needs help out of the castle. Things have gotten… complicated. There's a wizard in the castle who is trying to do something involving magic and ancient rituals. Can I talk to Tygra?" he asked.

"I'm not with the rest of the group. I got separated when we fought off some large skeleton in an arena" she replied.

"That proves that he is using necromancy. Such a vile art, not refined at all" Celica said with her nose upturned to Lion-o as he had the communicator on speaker.

"Where are you now?" he asked.

"Somewhere in an outside hallway facing towards the bridge to the city. Lion-o… those things are moving around out there… they were previously hiding in the buildings, but somehow things have changed… things have gotten complicated indeed…" she replied. Lion-o looked at Celica. He looked behind her and ran down the hallway to a window and looked out. It was still dark outside with rain pouring by, but lightning flashed in the distance with enough light to show him he was to the left side facing away from the bridge. He ran down the next hallway and through a door to another window with Celica in tow and looked out.

"Kalihara, can you do anything to tell me which floor you're on? I'm at a window" he asked. A rapid flash of light came from one of the windows above him and twenty feet further along. Her head popped out that window and looked around. He turned on the flashlight and shined it up at her, with her head swiveling and looking down at him. He smiled as he saw her face. It was reassuring to know she was okay.

"Who is this Kalihara? One of your guards?" Celica asked.

"No, she's one of my friends and… it's complicated" he said.

"I'll head down and try and regroup with you" the lioness said through the coms.

"We're heading to the throne room. Can you meet us there?" he asked.

"I don't even know where that is, but I'll try" she said.

"Glad to see the communicators aren't being jammed anymore" Lion-o chuckled.

"That makes two of us" Tygra said over the coms.

"Tygra! Where are you guys?" the young king asked.

"I think we're in one of the towers. We saw a light that we chased after, but it disappeared. There was a break off path leading up to where we are now; I guess whoever it was went in the opposite direction. We'll head back down and towards the throne room as well" his brother explained.

"Alright. I've got a funny feeling we need to gang up on this wizard" Lion-o said.

"Lion-o… change of plans… those things out there? Some of them are moving towards the bridge" Kalihara said sternly as two shots fired from the window above, blowing the heads off of the two bodies charging across the bridge. The bodies still moved forward for a few feet before falling to the ground, twitching.

"Those undead are coming towards the castle…" Lion-o whispered.

"Looks like it. Something riled them up inside" the soldier replied.

"Or the wizard called them to attack" Celica said.

"Or something was holding them back…" Cheetara said over the coms.

"Holding them back? What do you… wait…" the lion started to say as he pulled open the small pouch attached to his belt and looked at the shard.

"Maybe that wizard has something that can control those things out there" Cheetara replied.

"I don't think he controlled them. Nevermind, we're heading to the throne room now. Meet you there" Lion-o said.

"I'm sitting here to keep those things from getting across the bridge. Make it snappy, the crowd is getting larger" Kalihara said over the coms. Three more shots rang from the window above, with three more heads popped.

"Celica, do you know which way it is to the throne room?" he asked. She nodded and grabbed his hand, pulling him quickly down the hallway and to the left, through two rooms and finally to another hallway. As they opened the door to the throne room, there, standing near the fountain, his arms raised, was Dominatos.

"No no no, so much wrong… it can't be… it can't end like this…" he was whispering to himself. His hands glowed as he seemed to be casting something towards the fountain.

"Dominatos, stop whatever you are doing and give back the essence you stole from Celica" Lion-o growled.

"Give it back? You know nothing about magic!" the tabby yelled at him.

"I said give it back!" the sword wielding lion yelled.

"Lion-o, I can regain my essence over time, it is not truly gone unless he had drained all of it. Once it is gone, it does not come back, that in itself could kill me" Celica explained. Lion-o was blinking trying to process what she had just told him. Dominatos blinked at both of them. The young king really didn't know anything about magic, or how it worked. Cheetara had just been trained in how to use her own essence, and even she was unsure of what to do with it.

"Yeah… sure… of course… um… well, stop what you're doing. Can't you see the consequences of what you've done?" Lion-o corrected himself.

"You truly are a blind fool. I am trying to fix this! And you hound me!" the tabby yelled.

"Hound you? I'm trying to stop you from killing this woman! She's not joining that city of the dead out there!" the lion snarled. Celica placed her hands gently on his back, pressing herself against him as she leaned her head over his shoulder. He stiffened slightly at the feel of her against him. He had known her for only an hour at most and she was already all over him like they were soul mates.

"Her essence would stop this city from pouring out of the gates to the surrounding land! She is the reason why I must do this! If her family had accepted my plea to save this city, none of this would be happening!" Dominatos screamed at him. Lion-o was caught off guard completely.

"Wait, what? Hang on! Hold on for just a second and let me hear this! What is really going on?" Lion-o asked, lowering his weapon temporarily. Dominatos saw him lower his weapon and his hands stopped glowing, dropping to his sides. He didn't seem hostile.

"You don't know?" the tabby asked.

"I'm a bit short on information right now. My friends and I seem to have stumbled into something we have no idea about."

"I was a court wizard from long ago for this city. The lord was kind and pure, and the surrounding land prospered. Three days ago the fountain appeared in this very throne room. It seemed to be an act of the gods. The lord asked of me to try and use its power once I had figured out its potential, to help the people of this city and the land around it. I tried a ritual to control the fountain, an old but simple restraining runic etching" Dominatos explained.

"You fool! You do not try and control an unknown with such barbaric symbols! You place wards around to contain the energies before you even try to do that! You have a neutralizing spell ready and a containment gem just in case! A first year knows this! What a pathetic court wizard you are!" Celica snapped at him.

"The wards failed! The gem shattered!" he screamed at her. Lion-o put his hand up for her to calm down. Celica seethed as she grasped his arm.

"Tell me what happened" Lion-o asked calmly. Dominatos calmed down as well.

"It was horrible… the people… the citizens of this fine city… at first the wave of energy washed from the fountain and shattered the wards like so much chaff in the wind… it expanded across the city, sapping the life energy of all around to feed its strength to break the ritual, shatter the runes I had placed. I realized the only reason I had survived was because I was standing on one of the wards I had erected. The fountain broke free. I soon found out that the fountain was always under my control from the beginning, without a need for the ritual. It was a neutral vessel of unknown power, neither good nor evil" Dominatos told him as tears welled in his eyes.

"You caused all of this?" Lion-o asked.

"I had no idea! This wasn't some spell gone wrong! This was something that did not want to be contained! It didn't need to be!" Dominatos yelled at him.

"It's because you didn't know what you were doing! And these people, the peasants and farmers and traders all paid the price because of a hedge wizard!" Celica yelled at him.

"Celica, stop goading him" Lion-o put his hand up.

"But…" she started to say, looking into his eyes.

"Can't you see he knows what he did wrong?" the young king said. Dominatos looked at the ground solemnly, grief covering his face. "So what does this have to do with Celica?"

"I tried to gain help from the college of magi in the mountains of Eregal. There nestled in the valley is a city called-" Dominatos started to say.

"Lyon, my home" Celica interrupted. Lion-o looked between her and the orange tabby.

"Then what happened?" the young king asked.

"I begged for an audience of the lord of the city, asking for help by his strongest wizards to help me fix this. If the fountain could siphon life from the people, perhaps it could give it back were it coaxed to return it. Sadly… I was turned away, with the guards and chancellor laughing." Dominatos looked at the ground, remembering that day.

"Our chancellor was right to turn away a beggar like you. You mentioned nothing about the undead, only that you needed our help. If the lord of this city really needed our help, he would have sent an envoy to speak on his behalf" Celica quipped.

"I was the only one left alive! Don't you see that? I had to do something, to fix what I had caused!... and the undead… they came after I had come back…" Dominatos continued.

"Don't tell me! You didn't!" Celica gawked at him like he had grown two heads.

"I tried a ritual to pull from the fountain the life energy it had taken to break the control runes around it. I placed amplification runes, in the event it was sentient to let it be known it wasn't captive. It seemed I had waited too long with the trip to Lyon, and the essence from the people was gone. I had not realized this, and sapped the life energy from the surrounding land to bring back the people of the city. Mayhaps, once I brought them back, they could ask for help from other neighboring settlements to rebuild."

"The swamplands…" Lion-o stated as he thought back to their trip to the city. No wonder the land looked so dead. He had siphoned the energy from it to try and bring the people back to life.

"She is right you know. I am not as strong as I should be. The fountain, it did as I requested, but the amplification runes, they pulled far too much essence, and… I could not control all of it. It flowed around me, in me, and felt worse than the hottest flame. I was delirious from the pain, and in my mutterings of the ritual to resurrect the people from the-" he explained.

"You did NOT use that spell! It is only temporary! It was never meant to be a permanent solution for the dead!" Celica yelled at him.

"It is only temporary because it taps into the essence of the user! That is why it was so dangerous! I figured I could use the land, as it would regenerate over time with help from the returning people! I failed…" the tabby told them.

"You should be hanged for what you have done here!" Celica yelled at him. Lion-o put up his hand to stop her.

"I am already a dead man after what I've seen. The people I cared about turned into those things. I used to love doing magical tricks for the children one day out of the week, at the behest of the lord. It brightened the week for them, and in doing so showed the kindness of the people's ruler. They worked harder knowing that the lord was looking out for them, and with my magic, helped instead of being a tyrant."

"You must have cast the spell wrong" Celica growled.

"What was the spell really supposed to do?" Lion-o asked.

"It is a resurrection incantation, it does as its name implies; however, it lasts only as long as the essence in the caster, which drains quickly. It is usually only used to gain information from an enemy you have killed, or to say goodbye to a family member. It cannot turn someone into those things out beyond the bridge" the princess told him.

"It can. Ulthainos replaced Uldisno in the casting" Dominatos told her. She was in shock.

"You mixed a puppet spell into it? You truly are mad!" Celica snapped at him.

"I was delirious! I didn't know what I was saying! I was trying to finish the ritual before I passed out... and I didn't mix up the spells… I slurred the word and nearly bit off my own tongue… you above everyone should know what happens when a spell isn't finished" the tabby told her.

"What does this have to do with the princess?" Lion-o asked.

"I came after finding out that a cataclysmic event had happened in this city from my father, who sent a scout after this man to see if it was true. He wanted to talk it over with the circle of magi before sending anyone to assist" she explained. Dominatos looked up.

"Wait, you were going to send help?" he asked.

"Don't be foolish. If an entire city's people were killed, we wanted to make sure it did not happen to our own. What had been done was in the past, and we could no more assist the dead than move a mountain." The orange tabby looked down at the floor again, guilt washing over his face.

"They were discussing who they would send, what contingent of soldiers and wizards to stop any force from leaving. I… wanted to test my own skill, so I asked to go with them. I was turned down by my father, who would not risk his own daughter going. I snuck out on my own, and made my way here. It was in this very castle that I was ambushed by you" she said as she pointed to Dominatos.

"You were trying to destroy the fountain!" he yelled at her.

"For all I knew, it was the source of the necromancy!" she yelled back.

"Enough! So you tried to destroy the fountain, and he caught you. What next?" Lion-o commanded as he stepped between the two of them.

"I placed her in the hastily built cage that I ripped the materials from the dungeons as they were never used, and placed as many wards as I could think of on it. She had immense power, more than I could ever have" the tabby told him.

"Obviously" she quipped with her arms crossed over her ample chest.

"So you decided to siphon her essence right then and there? Why?" Lion-o asked.

"I didn't. I begged her to not try and destroy the fountain, to help me use it to repair the damage I had done. She declined, calling me mad the entire time" the orange tabby replied.

"You ARE mad!" she snapped.

"You would abandon these people to this suffering? This necromantic plague? I cannot imagine your own people would see you as more than tyrants!" Dominatos yelled at her.

"The peasants of our city are quite happy with their lives, thank you" she sneered. Lion-o seemed irked by what she had said. There were poor and homeless in her city that were like those of the slums in Thundera. No one wished to live like that, and he knew it.

"Celica… nevermind. So you decided to siphon her energy, which you aren't getting anymore of now" Lion-o stated.

"Yes, if she wasn't willing, then I would use her own essence against her will to do what she would not. I drained her carefully to try and shatter the spell that I had cast to turn the bodies into undead. She fought me every step of the way."

"You were trying to kill me!" Celica yelled at him.

"I was not going to do anything of the kind! What part of careful do you not understand? I needed you! And you were so selfish you couldn't see what would happen if I didn't at least break the spell!" he snapped.

"What would happen if you don't break the spell?" Lion-o asked, dreading the response. Tygra burst into the throne room just at that moment, the others behind him.

"Surrender!" the tiger prince yelled. Lion-o put up his hands, and Tygra lowered his pistol, confused.

"The undead would run out of control. Why do you think they've been hiding in the buildings up until now? The fountain has been providing an energy that has been quelling their need… to feed. That is what undead do. They attack the living to try and regain the life energy they do not have, and the only way they can do that is to-" Dominatos explained, but Lion-o put his hands up for him to stop.

"I don't need to go into that much detail about how they get that life energy, I can figure that out on my own. Now that the fountain isn't providing that essence, what will they do now that they are running amok in the city? Just close off the gates and seal them off" Lion-o told him.

"The mass of them would break them down, and expand outwards, killing outside of these lands, creating more and more. It is not a disease, but the magic controlling them would turn other bodies into more undead. As they travel, the land's life energy would seep away into their bodies, destroying it. No wonder the necromantic arts are so taboo. It is so hard to control" Dominatos told him.

"What about the giant skeleton in the arena?" Tygra asked behind them.

"Skeleton? You mean the bones of a prized war bear? It is a place of regaining honor for those who wish to settle disputes in combat… nonlethal of course. Why?" the tabby asked.

"It wasn't friendly" Bengali told him.

"I didn't know that the fountain could bring back a long dead creature… the bear was stuffed for all I knew!" Dominatos stared at him astonished.

"It had a mace too." The tabby gawked at him.

"Impossible… preposterous… there is no… a bear's paw can't carry a mace!... can it?" The rest of the group looked at each other.

"Kalihara to Lion-o, are you guys done? We've got a problem out here" the lioness said over the coms. Lion-o pressed at his ear and listened.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Those things are heading across the bridge! I can't keep them held back any longer! They're… they're at the gates!" she yelled as she fired quickly from her perch.

"There is no hope" Dominatos stated as he sat on the steps near the fountain and awaited death.

"How much time?" Lion-o asked.

"Until they breach? Frack if I know! Those doors might be reinforced or as soft as tin foil! I'd guess… two minutes tops with how many are coming" Kalihara said as a loud explosion happened in the background.

"What just happened?" Lion-o asked.

"Threw a frag behind them to thin the crowd, I'm gonna run out of these soon! Do what you need to do to stop this Lion-o! I can't keep this up on my own! These things just… oh hell…" she said as she suddenly went silent.

"Kalihara? Are you alright?" he asked. He was worried they had breached the doors and were heading towards her in the upper floors.

"The ones I just took out… their body parts are pulling back together… that's… really disgusting… Lion-o, as of now, I am a delay tactic at best, I am definitely not combat effective against these things… we need to get the hell out of here…" she said quietly. Lion-o looked between Dominatos and Celica.

"Celica, we need you to help Dominatos to dissolve the spell" he commanded. The tabby looked up at him from his sitting position.

"You want me to work with that madman? For all we know he could screw up the neutralizing spell and we could all suffer for it!" she said to him.

"We're all dead if you don't!" Lion-o yelled at her. Her lips pouted up and she batted her eyes at him.

"Lion-o, don't be mad at me, please don't… I don't even think I have the essence right now to do it though" she said as she ran her hands over his chestplate. Tygra was really confused at the sight of her touching him so intimately.

"Did I miss something?" he asked.

"I'll explain later. Cheetara, you had told us you can cast, can you help with this?" he said as he looked at his friends.

"Lion-o, I have no idea the first thing about this kind of magic! I might be able to do the basics, but nothing anywhere near as specialized as this!" Cheetara replied gesturing her hand at the fountain.

"Just focus your essence at the fountain, we know the ritual and can handle it from there, if you are all willing" Dominatos said. Cheetara looked at him and then at her king. She sighed and nodded.

"They're gonna breach!" Kalihara yelled into her coms as the doors started to buckle. They could hear the crunching of the wood from the throne room, deep inside the castle.

"Alright, let's do this. Cheetara, stay here, everyone else with me" Lion-o commanded. Celica started following him to the door, but he stopped her.

"You stay here too. You're part of this ritual" he ordered.

"Oh, Lion-o… why do I have to… alright, I'll stay" she pouted. She seemed used to getting her way. The rest of the team bolted to the doors and started to barricade the entrances with any furniture they could find in nearby rooms.

"Retreating to the throne room! They're coming up the stairs!" Kalihara yelled as short staccato bursts from her rifle sounded through the communicator, as she had swapped parts to turn her weapon into a rapid fire heavy weapon. It wouldn't keep the undead down, but it would at least keep them at bay as she backed towards what safety she knew. As she turned the corner, she met up with Panthro who was carrying a couch over his shoulder, and rammed it through the doorway with her covering his back. Lion-o closed the door with her rifle aimed down the hallway.

"Good to see you're okay" he said quietly.

"Likewise" she replied as Panthro put the couch down in front of the double doors.

"That isn't gonna hold them for long" he said as he dropped a large board across the latches of the door. The secondary doors were covered in assorted boxes, chairs and tables.

"Cheetara?" Tygra asked over his shoulder as the others watched. Celica, Cheetara and Dominatos were all standing in front of the fountain, but nothing was happening.

"We're waiting on you" the tabby said.

"What? What are you… oh" he caught what he was trying to say as he realized he was carrying the stone with him. Lion-o ran to the fountain and pushed the stone back in.

"I'm keeping that when this is done" he told the wizard.

"I wouldn't want it to stay here, after everything it has caused" he replied. Lion-o ran to a small barricade they had built just along the edge of the stairs. Everyone else was set up to keep the undead back if they broke through the doors, which they would eventually.

"Now, just focus, the princess and I will handle the ritual" the tabby said as he looked at Celica. She seemed bored as she looked at him and nodded. The doors started to rock as everyone could hear moaning coming from the other side.

**[Music: Darksiders II OST – The Corruption]**

"This is gonna be rough…" Bengali whispered with his hammer ready in hand. The three behind them started the ritual.

"How long is this gonna take?" Tygra asked. The casters behind them didn't stop the incantation as they continued without a response.

"We just have to hold out as long as we can, buy them some time" Lion-o said as he readied his sword. Kalihara propped her auto turret on the ground and dropped the spider drone, her scout drone hovering in the air.

"Really wish that shield worked right now…" she whispered. Cheetara's hands glowed, as did Celica's and Dominatos's. The doors started to break down as Kalihara fired carefully through some of the holes, with hands groping about through them.

"Incoming!" she yelled as the front doors started to fall apart, with one of the undead crawling through the door slowly. She fired and hit it square between the eyes, the body going limp slowly as the head exploded. At first it was easy for her to keep shooting, with two more now breaking through the front door, but soon the side door started to show wear. Tygra and Panthro were waiting to hold them off as more started to come through the front, shambling towards them. Bengali brought his hammer down on one coming for Tygra as Lion-o sliced off a head of another. The third door started to be beaten on as the undead kept coming.

"How many people were in this city?" Lion-o asked.

"Considering the amount of buildings, thousands" Kalihara yelled as she was opening up on the right side door, keeping the undead contained by herself. She had to stop every once in a while to let her rifle cool down and vent heat, as even though the power source for the weapon seemed unlimited, it did have to stop firing or it would melt the barrel. That allowed one or two undead to shamble by and head towards the group, in which the drones would make short work of. The problem was keeping the bodies down, in which they kept rebuilding and getting back up to fight again.

"This isn't going so well!" Bengali yelled as he struck another in the chest, sending it bowling into three others.

"How much longer?" Lion-o yelled out. The incantation was still continuing, but the entire top of the stairs was glowing.

"Last frag!" Kalihara yelled out as she threw a small circular object at the door, blowing apart multiple shambling corpses coming through. One of the bodies flew through the air and fell on her, as she fought off its grappling arms and biting mouth with her combat knife. Lion-o bolted to her and sliced the head clean off, as she pushed the body away from her as he kicked the head like a soccer ball towards the door.

"We can't hold anymore!" Tygra yelled as Panthro kept two from biting at him.

"It's done!" Dominatos yelled out as a glowing wave washed over the throne room and out through the castle, across the bridge and throughout the city. The thousands of undead slumped to the ground glowing brightly as everyone in the room was briefly blinded. Once they had regained their sight, they looked around. What they saw amazed them.

"You miscast the spell again" Celica muttered.

"Nope. I got this one right this time" Dominatos said smiling triumphantly as they surveyed the room. The bodies were no longer undead, but living people lying on the ground and getting back up. The body parts that were still crawling before the spell were now whole beings, alive again.

"There is no way you could have made this permanent" Celica grumbled.

"That fountain has more power than you think. I realize that now" Dominatos replied. Celica looked at the fountain and walked to it as Dominatos and Cheetara walked down the steps to the rest of Lion-o's team.

"You really did it. I thought we were just neutralizing the spell" Lion-o asked.

"I figured the chanting could be modified from "No longer puppet or undead" to "return to what it was before it was taken." That even means before I cast the first spell on the fountain."

"Why didn't you do this before?" the young king asked.

"I only thought of it when I found out you had taken the stone in the water of the fountain. How did you take it might I ask? There is nothing physical inside to reach for" Dominatos asked as he looked at the fountain. Celica was moving her hand around inside the water, trying to find the stone in hopes of doing something with it. She looked like a young cub trying to catch a moving fish that wasn't there.

"I have two other stones. That is just a shard, though it reacts to the spirit stone on my gauntlet" the lion replied as he moved his gauntleted hand up to his chest.

"Then that shard must go with you, for your sake as well as ours. It is nothing but trouble here." As they were talking, Dominatos gasped and dropped to a knee immediately. Walking to them was the lord of the city.

"My liege, you are alright" the wizard said as he averted his gaze from the cat.

"I don't really remember what had happened, but I vaguely remember being… hungry. What has transpired in my throne room? Who is this?" the lord asked. He was surveying the damage and the furniture piled near the doors.

"It's a long story" Lion-o told him.

"I think I have time."

**[Twelve Hours Later]**

The group was heading back to the Feliner as the weather had cleared up somewhat, with no rain or lightning above their heads. The stone was safely tucked into a pouch at Lion-o's waist, with Celica following along.

"This road is hard on my feet… we aren't going to walk the whole way are we? Can we not ask for a carriage?" she whined.

"What a pain…" Tygra grumbled. He rolled his eyes as he tried to keep away from the princess.

"It is a pain! A princess like me should not have to walk across this harsh environment now that the trouble is gone… papa was right, it is difficult for someone to be out here surviving" she whined even more.

"So who is she?" Tygra asked Lion-o as he whispered into his ear.

"She's… well…" Lion-o started to say as he looked over his shoulder at the woman. Tygra was waiting for a response as Bengali kept trying to not look at the princess's bust. Kalihara kept to the rear of the group, watching their flanks.

"Did you know anything about an arranged marriage?" Lion-o asked his brother.

"Arranged marriage? What, like father had talked to another city to arrange for… oh, you can't be serious; you?" Tygra asked with his mouth agape. Lion-o nodded.

"Well I knew about a few places outside of Thundera from what father told us, but I didn't know there were other cities out there. Probably nowhere as big as Thundera was, that's for certain" his brother told him.

"Father told use about other cities?"

"You didn't listen to those history lessons much did you? Lion-o, he didn't teach us to hear himself speak, he needed us to know who our friends and enemies were. I just didn't know some of them were cats just like us…" the tiger prince scolded him.

"I know! I know… it's not like we knew this was going to happen though Tygra. I'm learning alright? Go easy on me" Lion-o replied. Tygra sighed, and for once instead of continuing to attack his brother verbally, he backed off and closed his mouth. The lion was doing his best.

"So are you marrying her?" Tygra asked.

"What? I…" Lion-o started to say as he looked behind them. He saw Celica chattering away to Cheetara, who seemed to just be nodding as the princess complained and putting up with her. Behind her, about ten feet away was Kalihara who continued to keep her eyes on the surroundings. She looked tired, and just as she turned her head, there was a small screech that came from above. Everyone stopped and looked up. Bahati swooped in with a berry from some tree he had found and landed on the lioness's armored shoulder.

"There you are. Guess you got to stretch your wings" she cooed to the bird.

"Where did he find the fruit?" Tygra asked.

"Such a beautiful creature. I want one!" Celica said excitedly as she walked back to the lioness and tried to put her finger out to pet the Quekan. Bahati tried to gulp down the fruit, but at the last second threw the last bit of it at Celica and hissed with his wings raised.

"Easy, settle down" Kalihara whispered to him as she put her own finger up to scratch his neck. He bit lightly at her finger, not trying to cause harm, as a small chirp came after while his beak pushed her glove down to his belly, telling her where to rub. Celica tried to continue bringing her finger to give him some attention, but Bahati hissed again and tried to bite at the encroaching digit. Celica pulled away with a yelp.

"Such a bird should be better trained" the princess scolded the bird.

"I've had him for two days, and I'm not his master. I don't think anyone is. He's a wild majestic creature" Kalihara rebuked. Her finger had moved to the side of the bird's neck as the Quekan closed its eyes, enjoying the attention.

"You have a pet bird that you have no control over? He is highly aggressive. If you cannot train him to be less so, then he should be put down" Celica told her.

"What? No way! Don't you dare touch my bird" Kalihara glared at her. Bahati hissed at Celica with his wings outstretched, almost as if understanding.

"Hmph, as long as he doesn't try to attack me or get in my way, I won't have to" the princess told her as she turned back around and stormed to the rest of the group. Kalihara glared at her back the entire time with her eyes narrowing.

"If he found fruit nearby, that means the land is healing. That's a good sign" Bengali said as he looked around. One of the dead trees nearby wasn't so dead anymore, as two leaves had sprouted from one branch. The group continued to the Feliner, with Lion-o carrying Celica over the swamp water to the ship. The young king was rewarded with a kiss on the cheek as Celica requested a room from Panthro. Lion-o turned and saw Kalihara sit on the cargo ramp as Bahati shot out and took a few circular flights before coming back. If she had seen the kiss, she was showing no jealousy, or seemed to care. She had told him he would find a princess. He just stared at the back of the lioness as she sat there.

"Lion-o? Which room is yours? Can I stay in it with you until we reach Lyon?" Celica asked through the bulkhead door.

"Uh, what? Um… we have a spare bedroom, why do you want to stay in my room?" he asked, with Kalihara turning around and looking over her shoulder.

"Well, we are betrothed, wouldn't it be normal for us to stay together?" she asked.

"BETROTHED?" everyone asked at the same time, excluding the lioness. She just looked at Lion-o with curiosity.

"My father had an arranged marriage set up before the fall of Thundera. It seems when I would rule, that… well, she would be my queen. HOWEVER, since the fall, that contract has more than likely died with my father. This is really new information and we barely know each other. It isn't valid anymore unless we both say otherwise, just like any other consenting adults" Lion-o explained. Celica looked confused.

"You mean… you don't want to marry me?" she asked, her lips pouted up.

"We really don't know each other Celica. I didn't even know you existed until today. Look, I'd rather not deal with this until later, we barely just made it out of an undead horde. Let's just reach Lyon, and we'll figure out what we need to do from there. I'm exhausted" Lion-o tried to dodge the question as he gestured to the rooms. She looked at him oddly, blinking, as she walked through the door and headed towards the open entrance that Panthro had mentioned was her room.

"Tygra, how far away is this city of hers?" Lion-o asked as he sighed, with aches and stiff muscles enveloping his body from the harshness of the day.

"I didn't know there was a city nearby until she had told us about it. She said it was here on the map while we were talking to the lord of… what is the name of the city we were just in?" Tygra asked.

"It is El Daron, and it was what the fable El Dara was based off of" Lion-o told him. The cubs didn't seem at all fazed by it, as even though the city they had been searching for all along wasn't real, the place it was based off of they had found, though it was a bit worse around the edges at the moment.

"Well, Lyon is about three hours away if we head out now. Want to?" the tiger prince asked.

"Let's get up in the air" the young king responded as he looked back at the ramp. Kalihara brought Bahati back into the ship and headed towards her room. Her eyes met his as she walked by him, but she didn't say a word. He couldn't tell if she was asking him a question with her eyes, or if she was annoyed with him or what. What was he going to say to her? A few days ago he had professed his love for her, and she had told him he'd find some princess to be with. She had been right. Celica would have been his queen if the lizards had not attacked Thundera. The problem with the arranged marriage was that he still felt strongly for the lioness. It was true, that the marriage was nulled the instant Thundera fell, and would have to be reappointed by Lion-o if he felt it should be so, but he didn't really know the princess very well. He didn't even know Kalihara very well either.

"Alright, we're getting under way" Tygra reported as he strapped into the pilot's seat and closed the ramp. The ship hummed to life as Lion-o sighed and walked through the hatchway and entered his own room. He took a quick shower, reveling in the hot water cascading over his fur and crossing over the sore spots on his body. He had fought lizards and robots, been shot by pulse rifles and had rocks and pellets shot at him, but never had he felt so much ache compared to having magic constantly used on him throughout one day. As he was blow dried by the nozzles and put on a fresh pair of underwear and pants, there was a knock on the door.

"Enter" he groaned out as he sat on the bed, wincing from the aches. Kalihara for once came to his door. She walked in wearing her cargo pants and green tank top, her dog tags jangling around her neck.

"You looked a little worse for wear, so I brought an analgesic rub" she told him as she tossed a small squirt bottle onto the bed.

"Thanks" he chuckled out as he reached over and picked it up, and squirted some of the cream into his hand. He rubbed it into is shoulder and then tried to reach his back, which was difficult to do with the aches as well as his arm not going that far. His face contorted with a wince as he couldn't quite stretch as far as he wanted.

"Here, let me help" she suggested as he turned his back to her as she sat on the edge of his bed and squirted some of the cream into her own palm. Her hands ran along his shoulder blades as he almost instantly felt the hot and cold sensation coming from the cream.

"What is that stuff?" he asked.

"Got it from the equines, it's the same stuff I can get back on Thundera. Back there we just called it Icy Hot, but apparently here it's made from some native plant. Feel better?" she asked.

"Yeah, a lot better" he replied, flexing his shoulders as his muscles rippled. He rubbed at a muscle on his left shoulder to see if it had a knot and felt her hand had moved at the same time right under his, as he looked over his shoulder right into her eyes. They stared at each other for a little while in silence, neither moving. Just then, Tygra knocked on the door and opened it before Lion-o could say anything. The tiger prince saw the entire situation, with Kalihara's hands on Lion-o's back, both them in casual attire.

"It's not what you think" Lion-o said flatly.

"Sure it isn't" Tygra chuckled as he put his hands up in defense.

"It really isn't" Kalihara joined in.

"Yeah, sure, no problem" the tiger said with a grin on his face. Kalihara sighed and got up from the edge of the bed.

"I'll leave this here if you need any more of it" she said as she walked past Tygra and padded back to her own room.

"How are you back here and not in the cockpit flying?" Lion-o asked.

"Autopilot. Anyways, you get the idea that Celica isn't exactly one of those nice girls?" his brother asked.

"She's… rough around the edges towards others, but she has led a sheltered life as royalty. Hard to believe there is another city out there like Thundera" Lion-o replied.

"Probably not like Thundera; we were the crown jewel for the cats. It's a fiefdom for the lords under Father's command, to keep control over the best hunting grounds and farming lands remember?"

"I guess. I wish the books and maps hadn't been burnt in the library. Really should have studied more" Lion-o said as he let out a sigh. Tygra nodded.

"So arranged marriage? You didn't answer my question. Are you going to reenact the arranged marriage?" his brother asked

"I don't know her. If I knew her well enough and I liked her, then maybe, but…" Lion-o trailed off.

"You already like someone. That's why I'm asking. I need to know that my brother isn't just flip flopping around between the girls" Tygra said, waiting for the repercussions. Lion-o growled at him.

"It's not like that. I didn't know Celica even existed until today. My heart still belongs to… her… and unless Celica proves otherwise, that's who it belongs to forever." Tygra grinned.

"At least you're sticking to your guns. Glad to hear it, because frankly, I can see you and her together" his brother chuckled just as he was about to leave.

"Wait, Kalihara or Celica?" the young king asked.

"Do you really have to ask that question? The one you're in love with tuna for brains" the tiger prince replied smirking.

"Tuna for brains? Hey now I'm-" Lion-o started to say as Tygra closed the door. The young king sighed and chuckled as he shook his head. The red haired lion closed his eyes and laid down on his bed carefully, his body still sore despite the cream rubbed into his joints. He needed to get some sleep as he was exhausted by the cold water of the swamp, the movement through the city, the fight against Dominatos, and the undead horde. He was out like a light in less than a minute.

(Author's Note: So I was worried I'd get attacked for missing a week of posting up a new chapter by my friend, in which her response was "Oh I was watching the Olympics." THANK. GOD. Gave me time to finish this and actually scrap three ideas instead of rushing it… and play some new games that came out… and run errands long overdue…)


	8. Revolution Part 1

**Episode 34: Revolution Part 1**

The Feliner headed to Lyon without a problem, with Tygra flying the ship around a mountain range and passed over white snow ground that stretched for miles. The others were resting or keeping themselves occupied in their rooms, with Lion-o out like a light as long as they were traveling. He didn't have the energy at the moment to do anything. After the few hours it took them to pass yet another snowcapped mountain ridge, Tygra opened up the intercom.

"Lion-o to the cockpit." Lion-o jolted awake, his eyes flying open as he snorted in air and looked around from his position on his bed. He was lying on his stomach with his head turned towards the far wall, his lips distorted as he had half of his face pressed into the sheets.

"That didn't feel like a few hours… that felt like five minutes…" he mumbled to himself as he looked at the clock.

"Up and at em your majesty, you have to look your best when we land" his brother replied as the young king sat up groggily and looked around. His body had minor aches from the undead fight, though the ointment Kalihara had given him did help. He scanned the ground for the small bottle and found it half tucked under his chest armor. He must have knocked it off the bed while he was sleeping. His father was right, he was a restless sleeper. His sheets were balled up as a testament to it. It was almost as if he was hugging the ball to him.

"I'll be right there" he said quietly as a yawn escaped his mouth. The intercom winked off as he stretched and scratched his chest, realizing he didn't have much time to get prepared as his brain engaged and started to think clearly, the fog of sleep releasing its hold on his mind. He quickly took a shower, reveling in the hot water on his joints and let the warm air jets blow dry his fur. He quickly rubbed in some of the ointment into any sore spots and got dressed, finishing with brushing his teeth and walking out the door. As he made his way to the cockpit slowly, wondering if he had time for a cup of tea, he saw Celica leaning over Tygra's seat.

"Right there! Land us next to the castle!" she commanded. Kalihara had connected the satellite feed from the MSR she had fired into the systems of the Feliner, so now what she could see Tygra would notice as well when flying. It was a significant improvement over the information he gained while just staring through the cameras outside the ship or the sensors attached.

"You don't just land a ship of this size near a castle with people you've never met princess, even I know that. We have to be careful with how this is-" Tygra started to explain. He had to argue with everyone, even a newcomer to the ship.

"Just do as I say! There will be no problems!" she snapped. Tygra let out a deep sigh and shrugged, glancing over his shoulder and seeing his brother padding up to the pilot's seat.

"Are you sure? I'd rather not cause any damage to the ship if your family or people get spooked. For all they know, we could be invading" Lion-o said behind her. She flipped around, her face breaking into a smile, adoration emblazoned in her eyes.

"You're awake!" she said excitedly as she lunged at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He was startled by her reaction to him being there, and while he at first liked it when Pumyra did it in the past, now it seemed a little disturbing. He guessed he had grown up a bit more since then.

"Let's see if there is another landing zone Tygra" Lion-o tried to say as she pulled back a bit with him trying to slide carefully from her grasp.

"But my sweet, it will be fine, I promise you" she tried to console him in her decision.

"Celica, this is my ship. It is the only form of transportation we really have now that Thundera was taken. If there is even a ghost of a chance that they might fire a catapult or something at us, then it's best that we walk through the front gates" he told her. Her face fell into a pout as she looked at him, her eyelashes batting. She was trying to pull a kitten face on him. He didn't know how to react to it as she tried to look as innocent as possible. His resolve was slowly fading.

"I found a spot" Tygra said as he yawned and pointed.

"We're already there?" Cheetara asked as she walked through the hatchway from the living quarters. The others came up behind her, with Panthro coming behind Kalihara and the cubs hanging back with Bengali.

"Isn't it magnificent?" Celica said enthusiastically as they crested the ridge and saw Lyon for the first time. It was an entirely white city, with majestic towers in all shapes and sizes scattered throughout. Even the fortified walls looked to be made of pure white marble, and were most likely magically enhanced given the people who lived there.

"Kind of hurts my eyes…" Kalihara whispered as she backed away from the window. The shine from the city was so bright she winced as she turned.

"So? Land near the castle or someplace else?" Tygra asked. Lion-o looked over at Celica who was batting her eyelashes at him.

"If these guys have magic, then I'd rather not be shot at by fireballs and lightning thank you" Kalihara commented.

"What do you take us for? Barbarians?" Celica snapped at her.

"So you just let random people land near the center of your government all the time?" the lioness retorted.

"Don't be an imbecile! I'm here! I'm coming home! They would not dare to-" the leopard started to tell her.

"Do they know you are onboard? You didn't leave in a ship remember?" the soldier grumbled. Celica stomped her foot and crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at the lioness.

"They would sense my presence onboard! As long as no idiotic servants blindly rush out and attack, then the guards will do no such thing to us!" the princess snapped, placing emphasis on the word "servants." Kalihara was about to object and explain her reasoning when Lion-o sighed.

"I still don't think it's a good idea, just like her, and I'm in command here." Celica turned around and slowly wrapped her arm through Lion-o's.

"But Lion-o… I can promise no harm will come… trust me… you trust me don't you?" she whined as she rubbed the side of her cheek against his shoulder and gazed into his eyes. He didn't know how to respond as he could feel her bosom pressing against him.

"Uh… well… um… if… if you can prove that they won't… well, shoot us down…" he mumbled out.

"I swear it" she whispered to him. His resolve was finally broken.

"Tygra…" he muttered out.

"Understood…" his brother groaned out as the Feliner traveled towards the castle.

"I'm getting my parachute clipped on then" Kalihara whispered.

"You wouldn't have more than one would you?" Bengali whispered to her as she passed by.

"Sadly, it's too big to have more than one in the duffle. I wouldn't have room for my clothes if I had more" she told him as she patted the white tiger on the shoulder and continued on. Bengali was worried they really would be shot down. Panthro was sitting on the small couch, his claws grappled into the seat with his eyes closed as he waited for something bad to happen.

"Found a spot. Hope they don't mind us sitting down in the open garden" Tygra told them as he piloted the ship towards the landing spot.

"Absolutely not! You will do nothing of the kind! Land… land there!" Celica yelled at him as she pointed to another spot near the opposite side of the castle.

**[Music: Two Steps From Hell – Undying Love]**

"Are you kidding me? That little disc is barely the size of the ship! If I'm off by even an inch, we'll go careening off the side and smash into the buildings below!" Tygra exclaimed to her. It was true, the castle had a spiraling staircase leading up to the top of a mountain with the castle nestled on the dugout top. The city was a bit further below, surrounding the small mountain. It provided the best defense in all directions, as cannons could be seen on all the walls. Considering the city was right in the middle of the snowy valley behind the ridge, it seemed to be the only way they could protect against attack.

"So are you saying you can't do it?" Celica asked. Tygra looked at his brother, annoyed with the princess.

"I thought you were the best pilot out there" Lion-o goaded him with a smile and winked at him. He had faith in the tiger prince. Tygra growled and turned around.

"Brace for landing" he told them as the ship started into a descent pattern. The Feliner drifted lazily towards the small landing area, as Tygra could feel the palms of his hands become sweaty.

"Pull up… pull up!" Cheetara told him from the opposite seat.

"You're too low!" Bengali yelped as he closed his eyes.

"I know what I'm doing!" Tygra yelled as he brought the Feliner's front thrusters to maximum, launching the nose of the ship skyward as he engaged the back thrusters and softly brought the ship down. The landing pad at the nose was an inch from the edge of the platform.

"Phew…" the tiger let out a breath he didn't know he was holding as he shut down systems and looked at everyone. Bengali opened his eyes.

"We're not dead?" he asked.

"Guess you do have what it takes" Lion-o chuckled out.

"While you just stood there! And you! You have magic, why couldn't you have done something to make it easier? Float the ship down or something?" Tygra snapped.

"Me? Don't be silly, I do not know how to fly this thing or provide assistance in keeping it in the air. I am still recovering from my ordeal with El Daron. I do not need to be stressing myself over travel that you seem to have under control" she responded in a boorish manner. Tygra grimaced as Kalihara walked out wearing a parachute vest strapped over her armor. She looked around and saw everyone staring at her.

"We're already on the ground. No, we're not falling off the edge. No, we're not being shot at it seems" Tygra answered her unasked questions. Celica snickered as the Lioness sighed and nodded, turning around to take off the equipment she had just put on.

"Incompetent" Celica said under her breath.

"Hey" Lion-o furrowed his brow at her with disdain. She pouted.

"She would jump out of the ship and abandon her friends so quickly. Surely someone who cared about everyone else would have thought of another way to save everyone wouldn't you agree my sweet?" she asked. Lion-o was about to say something, but no words came out. Kalihara was extremely quick to get prepared for the worst case scenario. What if they had crashed? She might have been the only survivor. A small part of him would have been relieved to know that she was ok, but another part started to feel a hint of annoyance at her for being so willing to depart if things went bad.

"Open the doors" Lion-o finally managed to say. Panthro got up and pressed the control panel buttons, with the cargo ramp unlatching and slowly falling to the ground on hydraulics. They were greeted with twenty guards all carrying muskets in a double row, with multiple halberdiers aiming at them on the sides. Four robed figures in the back had their hands glowing, ready to sling some spell that could turn them inside out for all Lion-o knew.

"Lower your weapons!" Celica ordered as she stepped forward. The guards lowered their weapons slowly as they looked amongst themselves.

"Princess?" one of the robed figures asked as they all questioned why she was on the flying vehicle.

"Of course it is me! I have stopped the threat that was coming from El Daron, and now I return" she announced proudly. The guards gasped and whispered, and quickly opened into a cheer as she stood triumphant on the edge of the ramp.

"Your father will wish to see you immediately" one of the casters told her.

"As I expected. I have someone to show him as well. My betrothed has been brought with me today" she replied just as Kalihara walked back though the hatchway, her rifle slung over her shoulder. The guards cheered as Celica wrapped her arm around Lion-o's and intertwined his fingers with hers. Lion-o gave a sheepish smile as he looked at his friends behind him and saw the lioness stare at him, standing there, with the princess attached to him. His smile slowly faded as guilt filled his eyes. She just glanced at him for a moment before watching the musketeers raise their rifles from their aggressive stance.

"This is a great day indeed. Your father will be most pleased once he knows that you are safe" the wizard told her as he bowed and retreated from her path as she walked with Lion-o towards the gates heading to another part of the castle. The others followed, closely followed by the entourage of guards and archers. Lion-o was astonished to see hovering balls of energy used as lanterns around the castle, creating incredible light with almost no shadows. Red and purple tapestries were covering the walls, with similar colored carpeting covering the floor of all royal areas. Weapons and suits of ornate armor were held on mannequins as they headed down the main hall towards the throne room. A Fleur de lys was emblazoned on multiple tapestries surrounded by golden eight point stars. Just as they reached the doors, Celica turned left with Lion-o jolting with her.

"We're not heading to the throne room?" he asked.

"My father will more than likely not be in there if he is worried for my safety. He will be in the war room preparing to rescue me. He needn't bother now though, as my prince has already done that" she told him with a smile. Her accent made the words sound seductive coming from her mouth. He gave an awkward grin as they continued down another hallway and went up a flight of steps. The door at the top flew open with a gesture of her hand, the guards grabbing the handles and swinging both sides wide open on their hinges. A noble looking snow leopard wearing a crown near a map table looked up along with his Generals. He had a black thin mustache pointing out from his upper lip, and a very small pointed goatee hanging from his chin.

"What is the meaning of this inter… my daughter…" he stopped short as he strode quickly towards her with his arms up, his hands upturned as if to cup her face.

"Papa!" she exclaimed as they both hugged each other.

"Oh, I was so very worried about you! You should not run off like that! There are many dangers out there! I am so glad you are back" he cooed in the same accent as he held her close. She pulled away and looked at her father.

"I bring good news papa. The threat coming from El Daron is no longer of any worry for us. I have come back victorious… thanks to my savior, Lion-o" she told him as she looked at the lion king.

"Lion-o? King Claudus's son?" the leopard asked in shock.

"Yes, that's correct. He's… passed away now. I am now lord of the Thunder Cats" Lion-o responded. The snow leopard broke away from his daughter slowly and walked to him, looking him up and down.

"So you are, so you are… look at you! Oh, where are my manners! My liege…" he said as he kneeled in front of the young king with a sweeping hand gesture. Celica rushed to Lion-o's side and held onto his arm as her father stood back up.

"I'm sorry, but I don't really know much about Lyon or its people. I didn't even know about you or your daughter" Lion-o told him sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head.

"It would have been explained on your next birthday, once Claudus announced that we would be visiting; however, with the destruction of Thundera, that put those plans on hold then yes?" her father told him.

"I guess so" the young king agreed.

"My name is Duke Philippe, and as you well know my daughter… your father and I had planned early on for you two to be wed" her father told him with a grand gesture of his hands and a grin on his face.

"But the contract that allowed for that arranged marriage is more than likely burned along with the royal library, so it has been nullified" Lion-o stated.

"Ah, yes… sadly, it is gone, along with the royal seal. However, given a chance, we can remake it, and once again have a glorious marriage between you and my dear daughter" Philippe said beaming. Lion-o looked to Celica, who was smiling as well at him.

"We'll have to wait and see. I have a lot on my plate at the moment, as you may not know that-" the young king started to say, but the Duke interrupted.

"Ah yes, Mumm-ra is it? Yes, he is a difficult adversary, difficult indeed… I would offer my best wizards from the magi towers to assist you in fighting off this foe. With our magic, he will be destroyed quickly with our combined forces!" the Duke said as he brought his fingers into balled fists, emphasizing what they would do together.

"Forces? Duke Philippe…" Lion-o started to say.

"Call me father, you will soon be family if things go well" he chimed.

"Uh, Duke, I'd like to keep this controlled given the time frame we're in. My forces are all behind me, what you see here. Our armies were destroyed at the battle of Thundera" the young king explained. Philippe looked over Lion-o's shoulder and saw his rag tag group of friends standing there surrounded by guards.

"You mean, this is all that you have available?" Celica's father asked.

"My people are still alive, hiding away as they make their way back to Thundera and try and rebuild, but our standing armies are scattered. I doubt I could find any of them the way things are. I can't even feed them or house them even if I did" Lion-o told him as his face slowly took a downcast look. The only people he had to rely on were the people behind him. Panthro, his General, Tygra, his brother and second in command, Cheetara, his royal guard and close friend, Bengali, a strong blacksmith and fighter, the Wiley cubs, who with their mischief tended to turn the tide of battles, and Kalihara, a Thunderian Special Forces Commando, as well as his…

"They may not be the only ones you can rely on" a voice sounded from down a hallway. Lion-o and the others turned and looked towards where the voice had come from. Walking carefully with his chest puffed out and a cloak around his shoulders, was Lynx-o. He was moving with a purpose, his feet careful to take each step as he made his way towards them.

"General Lynx-o? He's alive?" Cheetara asked in astonishment.

"Well I'll be… the old coot survived" Panthro chuckled. Lion-o walked to him and stood a few feet from the old General.

"Ah my dear boy, I could smell you anywhere. Though my eyes aren't able to see what you've become, I could tell you've grown a bit since we last saw each other. How have you been?" he asked. Lion-o was surprised to see the old Thunder Cat alive.

"Lynx-o… I had no idea. I'm fine… how did you get here?" he asked.

"Ah, after the destruction of Thundera, I went to any and all who could offer aide. I was one of the few who knew of the arranged marriage that Duke Philippe and your father drew up, and so I asked them for help. I hate to admit it, but they were the third choice to come to ask for assistance, as they were quite some distance from where my company of troops started" the General explained.

"There are others that survived the fall? Other warriors?" Lion-o asked.

"Not everyone was at the front lines Lion-o. Some were keeping the people safe underground, or were on missions outside the walls, too far away to offer any help. Once we were told to escape by Claudus telling us to abandon the walls, my troops and I circled behind the enemy lines through a secret passageway, in hopes of trying to flank the enemy and buy everyone some time to evacuate. Before we could try, however, we had heard news from a scout that you had been captured. We were about to enact a rescue plan but you had escaped on your own… and we couldn't find you after."

"The journey here must have been harsh" Lion-o mused sadly.

"Indeed. We knew diving into battle so soon would not be what Claudus would have wanted, and he would have needed us to bring a force under your command to retake our home. So my men and I headed out, away from the death and destruction and tried to reach any cats we could find. We could not rely on the other species to come to our aide, not with the way we have treated them" the old General told him.

"You'd be surprised, if you give them a chance and show what we're made of and willing to compromise. Things are going to change once Mumm-ra is gone. We need to open trade with the others, no more keeping ourselves isolated" the lion king told him.

"Hmm, of that I have no doubt" Lynx-o chuckled.

"My liege, come, please, we shall have a feast in your honor as well as the return of my daughter!" Duke Philippe laughed out as he gestured his hands towards another hallway behind them and clapped his hands.

"But first, you must be tired from your long journey. My dear daughter, are you exhausted from what you have gone through?" he asked.

"I am papa! Oh it was horrible!" she pouted as she hugged him again. He held her close and patted her on the head.

"There there, you are safe and sound back and home, thanks to our king. We shall have rooms made up at once!" the duke clapped his hands again and servants came out from the woodwork. Two female servants moved to Tygra's side as well as Lion-o's and Celica's. A male soldier stood to Panthro's side and saluted.

"Come, we shall have you taken to rooms to refresh and relax in. Afterwards, there is much celebrating we must do tonight!" Celica's father said cheerily. The others started to follow after the small entourage of guards heading with Lion-o and Celica, but were blocked off.

"You are not royalty or of the highest ranks. You are not to continue. Rooms will be provided for you outside the castle" a wizard told them in a snooty voice.

"What? Hang on just a minute!" Bengali growled. Cheetara was annoyed at the confrontation as Tygra and Lion-o turned around.

"Hold on! Those are my friends! They stay with us too!" Lion-o yelled out.

"But my liege, they are not of the nobility, they do not lead our troops into battle… they know of the common life, we will make them-" Duke Philippe started to explain.

"They go where I go. I trust them implicitly and require them to be close as well. Cheetara is Tygra's… they are together as well" Lion-o told him sternly, though hesitated at the point of telling him that Tygra and Cheetara were a couple. Even though he thought he was over the cheetah and his feelings for her, it still irked him that she had given him mixed signals. He quickly shoved that feeling down, realizing it was silly and that his feelings for her were gone, replaced with feelings for…

"You'll have a room right next to mine, won't that be nice?" Celica asked as she held onto Lion-o's arm the entire time they walked down the hallway. As they reached an intersection that had a high staircase leading to another part of the castle, the others were lead down another path.

"I just told you that they are-" Lion-o snapped.

"My liege, we do not have the rooms above for them. They will be close, I assure you. I am terribly sorry for my castle not having as many rooms made for royalty such as you. I will ask our masons to change that soon, I swear it" Philippe apologized.

"It's ok Lion-o, we'll be just down the hall" Kit told him, but even she wondered where they were going.

"Cheetara stays with me" Tygra snapped.

"But of course" Philippe said as he bowed low. Cheetara walked to Tygra's side as they headed up the stairs, with the steps dissipating behind them.

"What's this?" Lion-o asked as he stopped.

"Protection. It is difficult for any assassins or attacks to be made if you cannot ascend a staircase that is not there" Philippe told him proudly.

"That's… impressive" Tygra said in surprise as he saw the crystal stairs behind them fade away. Lion-o looked at the bottom and saw Kalihara standing there, staring at him as they were led down the hallway. He felt his connection to her slowly fading in an odd way as she disappeared around the corner as well as the stairs blocking her from reaching him, or he the other way around. Both he and his brother exchanged a look as if they both knew they were cut off from the others.

"Please, your majesty, this way" Philippe said as he motioned for them to continue up the steps. They turned right and headed up another flight of stairs, reaching the next floor and heading down an exquisitely ornate hallway with gold lace as vines along the mantle and foot guard, and the glowing orbs a softer bluish in color compared to the white around the rest of the castle. It gave a majestic look to the doors and the people, with Celica seemingly glowing as she walked with the young king and tiger prince. They reached their rooms as the servants threw open the doors, with Lion-o walking in slowly and in awe. His room back at Thundera was never as expansive or covered in gold and silver as this one.

The bed was a four post king size with a roof above, with curtains that could be pulled aside from all directions. The sheets looked to be made of silk and dyed royal purple, with silver stenciling on the pillows. There was a night table on both sides of the bed, with a water trough waiting on what seemed to be a silver platter. Runes were engraved on the platter, and the trough looked to have condensation around it, showing that the water inside was more than likely ice cold due to magic. A walk in closet was on the opposite wall of where the bed was positioned, with a dresser to the left of the door and a chest at the foot of the bed. Four windows faced out of the room towards the garden below, with a large balcony that disappeared to the right.

"I hope this room will be worthy of you" the Duke said as he awaited Lion-o's approval. Lion-o's mouth was agape as he surveyed the room.

"Nice…" Tygra said as he whistled.

"Your room is nearby, though I apologize as it is slightly smaller than this" Celica's father told him.

"Still pretty big" Tygra chuckled as Lion-o walked into the middle of the room and looked around.

"It's… spacious…" the young king managed to spit out as his eyes roamed his accommodations.

"The balcony connects to my own. We can speak whenever we wish, or sneak over to each other's rooms" Celica told him with a giggle as she batted her eyes at the lion.

"Ah… great…" he said in a fake enthusiastic tone, though his eyes looked away from her as his smile slowly faded away. He'd much rather have someone else sneaking into his room, but she was further below in heading to an unknown guest room.

"I shall leave you to rest your majesty. If you have any needs at all, my servants are at your call. Come Celica, you must be tired as well" Philippe said as he clapped his hands twice and backed out of the room with his brother following. Lion-o's eyes watched as the doors were closed, with Celica's gaze always on him until they sealed together. The young king sighed out loud and flopped on the bed, nearly sinking into the plush material that was used in the mattress construction. It was far softer than his bed on the Feliner, and more what he was used to back home. He stared up at roof as he saw the ornate carvings of different animals and features in the wood. They would have dinner eventually, and he'd have to show up. Meeting other nobility was never something he cared for, as he left most of the talking to his brother or his father and tried to keep himself occupied. It displeased his family to know that he acted bored constantly while others were coming to pay their respects to their leaders. Now, he would have to stand tall and act just like his father did.

**[Meanwhile]**

"These are your rooms" the wizard said as he opened a door. There was a long hallway with multiple doors on either side, each was a plain wood with iron barring to reinforce them. As Bengali opened the first door and looked inside, he noticed it was just like the rooms at the temple.

"Hey, these are pretty… sparse…" the white tiger started to say as the wizard looked annoyed.

"These rooms are in the barracks. You are serving under your lord correct? So these rooms will accommodate you" the robed man told them.

"But I thought… never mind…" Bengali sighed as he looked over and saw the cubs wondering about their bunk room. The small closets were far worse than the quarters on the ship.

"Please do not disturb the nobility or any aristocrats in the castle. If you need something, the kitchens are that way, the restrooms are that way. Bathing is further down the hall. There is a map placed at the end if you forget. Please use the door to the west to leave towards the city, we do not need the aristocracy to feel offended with anyone who is not a trained servant waltzing through the wings exploring" the wizard explained.

"Wha? But…" Bengali started to say as the wizard turned around and left with the guards. The white tiger growled as he looked to see Kalihara follow the wizard. He turned around in annoyance.

"Yes? What do you want?" he asked gruffly.

"Nothing, I am simply going to be staying in our ship instead of taking up the hospitality of the barracks" she told him.

"Hmph, well, as I said, the exit is that way" he replied as she nodded and left.

"Wha?... hold up! I'm heading with you" Bengali yelled out as the cubs followed.

"All of you? Well, I never…" the wizard said as he backed away while the cubs shot by him and followed her.

"Good call" the white tiger said next to the lioness as she headed through the hallway and back towards the ship.

"I need to feed Bahati and frankly I'm not staying cooped up in a barracks. Lion-o can find us easily there if he needs to" she replied.

"Yeah" Kat agreed as they headed back to the Feliner. All four of them got inside and went to their respective rooms.

"Hey Kalihara" Bengali asked as her door opened. She looked over at him as if waiting for his question. "Care to explore the city later?" he asked.

"I believe none of us will get that chance today if Lion-o has anything to say about it due to the dinner that will be happening. He'll want all of us to attend, and won't take no for an answer… from anyone" she replied.

"Heh, true. Maybe tomorrow then" he chuckled out.

"Maybe" the lioness responded as she walked through her door and closed it behind her. Bengali sighed and entered his own room to sit down and relax on his bed.

**[Four Hours Later]**

"Your majesty, are you awake?" a servant's voice asked as the doors flung open. Lion-o rolled quickly across the bed to get a look at who was entering as his eyes adjusted and his brain attempted to boot up. His grey matter promptly warned him that the upcoming fall would hurt, as he realized he was sleeping on the edge of the bed facing away from the doors. He landed with a thump! as he tried to keep himself from falling, his claws grabbing at the sheets and pulling them with him.

"Oof!" he grunted as his rump hit the ground and his hands brought the sheets with him, covering his knees.

"Oh my, I am terribly sorry" the servant apologized as two others kneeled on the ground and kept their eyes from looking at him.

"Ooh… what time is it…" he groaned out as he pulled the sheets off of him and slowly stood up, his back sore from the landing. His eyes wandered the servants and noticed each was carrying something. The first was holding a pile of clothing, the second holding towels and other assorted toiletries, and the third was holding onto multiple jewelry boxes and three pairs of shoes. His eyes narrowed as his eyebrows furrowed, trying to figure out what they were bringing all of the items in for as his mind tried to cut through the confusion that amassed.

"It is half past five your majesty. Dinner will be served in one hour. We must get you ready for the coming meal" the first servant, a golden leopard told him. He sighed as his head nodded while his feet started moving towards the bathroom. The servants followed right behind him, in which he quickly stopped at the door and eyed each one of them.

"I can wash myself, it's fine" he told them slowly. They all nodded in agreement as he turned around and continued heading into the small room. The servants again followed after him, in which he stopped and looked at them.

"Seriously, that means you three stay out here" he stated. Even back in Thundera he never had servants waiting on him when he took a shower.

"But… we have the royal towels ready for you once you leave the bath" the second servant, a panther questioned him as he looked at his fellow assistants.

"And I can dry myself too. Look, um… the clothes can just be put on the bed. I can get dressed on my own, I'm not a child" he told them.

"Your majesty, there is a certain decorum that is set for the dining room. We-" the third servant started to tell him, but the others glared at him.

"We will do as you say your majesty. If you have need of our help, we will be just outside until you are ready" the first told him as they bowed and backed away from the bathroom, heading towards the door. Lion-o slowly turned around and headed to the bathtub, before turning around once more to see if they had stopped and snuck over to the bathroom door. None did, and he finally felt safe enough to close the door and disrobe. He noticed the tub had built in plumbing in the form of a drain at the bottom, with two glowing crystals on the top. One was red, the other was blue. A long silver tube was running between them, with no nozzle heading down.

At first he was bewildered by this contraption, but once he realized touching either would cause them to pour a waterfall into the tub from the metal pole, he knew that they were cold and hot water respectively. His mind marveled at the fact that the magic used to take a bath here was probably considered ordinary, just like the technology they had on the Feliner. The young king figured out that moving his hand under the flowing cold water would cause the crystal to stop pouring liquid, which gave him a small modicum of relief to know that he wouldn't scald himself from trying to turn off the red crystal. Once the water had filled to an appropriate level and the temperature was just right, he turned off both crystals and stepped in. His still sore joints enjoyed the warm water as he sunk into the bath and stretched out.

His eyes wandered around the edge of the bathtub and noticed a purple crystal near his head. He wondered what it did, but was fearful that it would do something to his body. His curiosity got the better of him eventually as he touched the object. Small purple pearls appeared on the bottom of the tub just below him, and he immediately was afraid it was some type of cleaning agent or poison. When he immediately started to smell lavender, he realized they were aroma pearls that grew in the tub by the way of the magical gem. He saw next to the purple crystal a green one and an orange colored fragment. Lion-o assumed green was mint, and that orange would be some fruity smell.

Once he had soaked in the bath for what he thought was ten minutes, he quickly washed himself and dried his fur. As he walked to the bed with a white towel wrapped around his waist, he had a chance to look at what was arranged for him. He picked up each piece of clothing and just stared at it.

"What… is… this?" he asked himself as he picked up a pair of short pants. He shook his head and tried to put on his own clothing that he had thrown on the ground, but it was gone.

"Oh no…" he grumbled as he walked to the door with the towel still wrapped around his waist. He pulled on a rope at the door and heard a bell ring outside. All three servants immediately opened the doors and looked at him.

"Where are my clothes?" he asked, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"They are being laundered, and surely you do not wish to come to the dinner wearing armor do you your majesty?" the first servant asked.

"I…" he thought for a moment as he realized they were right. He sighed as he closed his eyes.

"I've never worn any of this. Can we… can we dull this down a bit? Too many layers" he told them.

"We'll do our best your majesty." All three of the servants got to work putting the clothing on him, as he jerked at first while they put his underwear on for him. He felt a bit embarrassed with them seeing him in the nude, but it seemed normal to them as they then put on his silk shirt and breeches that they carefully tucked in the shirt to. They moved skillfully as they put on a vest and short coat with stockings worn to the top under his breeches. They then made sure the frill on his chest was puffed out carefully, with the buttons on his sleeves tightening too much.

"Ouch" he winced as they closed one sleeve.

"Oh my! I am terribly sorry your majesty, we will fix this at once!" one of the servants said as they took a small box out and opened it. Inside was an assortment of sewing equipment that they quickly put to use, cutting the sleeve back and rethreading the buttons in a better location. Once they were done, his clothing was tailored to his body, and fit like a glove. They brought a large mirror to him as he inspected himself, noticing that he looked quite sophisticated in the suit they had dressed him in.

"You will be the envy of everyone sire" one servant told him as he beamed.

"Uh… ok…" he said, not knowing how else to respond.

**[Meanwhile]**

"You two are not going dressed like that" Bengali groaned as he surveyed the two cubs. Both were wearing very floppy royal clothing that they had found in the forever bag. They looked like grownups that had reversed in age quickly, and were still in the clothing for a ball.

"Well what else are we going to wear? Our normal clothes? We don't have time to go see a tailor Bengali" Kat replied as they both looked at their sets of clothing.

"Just… just wear what you usually wear. You said you stole them from the lizards right?... at least that looked somewhat like the nobles here" he told them. They sighed and agreed as they got back into their room and got dressed again. The white tiger himself had gone out into the city to buy himself a new pair of threads, as he had just come with his smithing tools and the clothes on his back. He caught a few stares from the aristocrats moving around, and not all of the city was in fact white. The slums were especially dreary, with beggars asking for a few coins to eat. Nobles would knock away anyone who got in their way, and had on a number of occasions knocked into his shoulder as he passed by. Now that he had gotten a fairly decent pair of clothes, he thought he looked quite good in the white frilled shirt with a silver vest worn over it, and black dress pants with shined toeless leather socks. The money he snuck from the forever bag seemed to be limitless from what he saw.

"Well? Better?" Kit asked. They both walked out in their normal clothes. Aside from them being laundered, they looked exactly the same, albeit cleaner.

"Yeah, much better" he replied just as Kalihara's door opened. They all stood astonished as she walked out not in a dress, but in a black dress uniform with her insignia and badges on her left chest. A golden braid hung from her right shoulder, with her hair in a tight bun hidden under her cap. Her hands were covered in white gloves, and she was wearing pantyhose. A pair of black heels was worn on her feet.

"Uh… we're going to a dinner, not a war council" Bengali chuckled.

"This is what a soldier wears to a formal dinner Bengali. Don't like it, don't care." The white tiger opened his mouth to say something as he cocked his head back in a sense of shock, but no words came out for a few seconds.

"I… didn't say you didn't look good in it, I was just… well alright, yeah, I mean… you are a… soldier…" he responded as he fought to find the right words.

"You look great Kalihara" Kit said with a smile.

"Thank you" the lioness replied as she squared her shoulders and walked through the hatchway in her high heels. Bengali wasn't used to seeing any cat wearing shoes. He found the look to be fairly attractive. The small group continued down the ramp and headed towards the castle as the guards escorted them to the dining room. They met up with Tygra and Cheetara, who both looked the part of prince and his mate. Tygra had on a dress vest with a light blue shirt on underneath paired with silver pants, and Cheetara was wearing a white and silver gown that wrapped around her neck and bared her back, the spots of her fur seeming to have silver pearls braided through it. Her hair was brushed out completely, and had taken on a soft sheen. She looked stunning in the light the orbs gave off.

"Glad they didn't keep you guys at the gate" Tygra chuckled. Bengali didn't respond, and neither did Kalihara. He didn't take that as a good sign.

"They didn't did they?" he asked again as he looked between them.

"Let's just say there's a bit of hostility towards anyone who is below nobility" Bengali grumbled to him. The tiger prince frowned as he realized the blacksmith was telling the truth, and he had noticed the way they seemed to treat anyone that wasn't an aristocrat or royalty. He wondered what would have happened if he wasn't Lion-o's brother, or if Cheetara wasn't with him.

"Kalihara… trying to make an impression?" Tygra asked the sniper.

"I'm trying to make sure they take us seriously" she responded. Emblazoned on her shoulder was the Thunderian military insignia, and below that was the Thunderian Special Forces badge. Just above both of them was her rank of Major, along with her collar having two golden leaves at the tips. The amount of badges on her chest was huge, with multiple strips for different clandestine missions that she was on, or tours of duty. Some of them even denoted what she was trained in, what equipment she was efficient in, or rank sub specialty.

"They're taking Lion-o seriously, I don't know about the rest of us" Bengali grumbled. The group entered the dining room, a long wide area with a huge table running the length of it. Panthro was already there talking to Lynx-o.

"I'm telling you, if we had kept up with technology instead of throwing it away, we could have kept Thundera from falling!" Panthro snapped.

"They were given help by Mumm-ra Panthro, how do you think our equipment would have faired with so few thunder tanks even known about? The ones we knew about couldn't even be salvaged for parts let alone be used in combat. No, we should have been more careful about our allegiances and keeping allies to protect our borders or provide advanced warning. We were foolish to think we would always be the better warriors" Lynx-o replied.

"If we maintained them they wouldn't have fallen into such disrepair! Look, I know how to handle a thunder tank Lynx-o, you don't have to be telling me that… oh, hey" Panthro started to say as he saw the others walk in.

"Ah, good to see the rest of you… although I don't recognize that smell coming from you miss. You smell of hard fought wars from long ago" Lynx-o said as he turned in the direction of the group. Kalihara straightened.

"Major Kalihara Ghost Claw, Thunderian Special Forces… the original Thundera, not the city" the lioness replied. Lynx-o gawked for a moment in surprise, but quickly closed his mouth in a smile as he put his hand out for her to shake.

"You've fought Mumm-ra since before we were around. I'm honored to meet you" the blind General said as she shook his hand.

"Thank you General." Kalihara was about to salute him, but remembered he couldn't see. She countered the twitch response in her arm and forced her hand to her side in a mechanical movement.

"Everyone, your seats have been assigned, please stand near your chairs" a servant said as he pulled out each chair from the table and had each person led to them. Two seats were set empty next to Tygra and Cheetara, prepared for Lion-o and Celica. The center of the table was reserved for Philippe. Just then, Philippe walked in wearing a golden coat covering a silver vest. A trailing purple cape slid across the floor behind him as he walked to his seat and gestured with his hands for everyone to admire his style. No one really responded.

"Ah, I see we are missing my daughter and our king. Are they both ready?" the duke asked.

"Our majesty is coming down as we speak my lord" a servant said with a bow. Lion-o walked in from the main door as everyone seemed surprised by his clothing. The young king felt a smile creep across his face as he realized he did indeed look quite hansom dressed for the occasion.

"My my, your majesty… you do us great honor with your fashion and you presence" Philippe said enthusiastically as he bowed to his king. The others did so as well, excluding Kalihara who instinctively gave him a crisp salute and snapping her heels together.

"Uh… it's alright guys… you can stop now…" Lion-o said as he gestured at the air with his palm down, waggling his fingers for everyone to get up. He stood next to his chair as everyone looked at him.

"Nice threads bro" Tygra said chuckling.

"Same" he replied as he peeked past Tygra and felt his heart skip a beat at how beautiful Cheetara looked.

"Wow, uh… Cheetara…" the young king said as she giggled.

"Don't get any ideas Lion-o, I'm taken" she replied.

"Wha, I didn't… I was just saying you look… really beautiful" he finally spit out. She smiled at him and thanked the king for his compliment.

"My god" Philippe gawked as everyone's eyes moved to the door. There, walking down the small flight of steps to the sunken table was Celica walking gracefully as if she was floating. She was wearing a slinky silver and gold dress that hugged her curves and flowed like water, with a high cut cleavage. She was wearing crystal heels and shining orb earrings that seemed to make her hair glitter, which was done in titian curls. Her face had a light shimmer as her servants had more than likely done her makeup carefully. Lion-o's jaw dropped. Cheetara looked normal compared to her entering the room. She slowly walked to Lion-o's side and gazed into his eyes.

"How do I look?" she asked.

"Uh…" he managed to say. She brought up her hand to her mouth and giggled, showing her polished claws.

"Ah, we now have everyone. We will sit at our majesty's behest. If you wo-" Philippe said. The doors opened quickly as a much older woman walked in with two guards at her sides, her noble clothing showing that she was of equal stature to Philippe.

"Grandmother!" Celica squealed as she made her way to the woman.

"Oh merde… I mean, oh, how good it is to see her…" Philippe groaned out and immediately corrected himself as he coughed. Celica hugged her grandmother as she smiled.

"I thought you would not be back until another week from now?" Celica asked.

"I came back early once I received word from a wizard telling that you had brought a king home. I had to see if he was worthy of you" she said hoarsely in the same accent.

"Oh grandmother, you needn't worry! You remember the contract? It is Lion-o. That is him, right there" the princess told her enthusiastically as she pointed at the young king.

"Uh…" he mumbled out as he pointed at himself and looked among his friends for guidance.

"Hmm, he's not much for words… and he doesn't look like much…" the grandmother said as she walked to another spot at the table and sat down next to Kalihara's seat. She was placed on the opposite side of the table and as far away from Lion-o as possible it seemed. Celica must have decided on the seating arrangements.

"He can be awkward with words at times" Kalihara commented to the older cat.

"Watch your tongue! You are speaking about your majesty!" Duke Philippe growled at her.

"Hey! Don't do that to her" Lion-o snapped in response. The Duke looked at him and apologized immediately.

"At least she has some guts to stand up and be seen" Celica's grandmother said as she noticed the sniper.

"Well, mother… how are you…" Philippe asked as he kept his eyes from looking directly at her with a fake smile constantly erupting and disappearing on his mouth, like he had a nervous twitch.

"And why do you care? I am an in-law, and I still do not see what my daughter saw in you. The only thing I have seen that you have provided to the world is my granddaughter. Tell me child, how have you been?" she replied. The Duke glared at her and was about to snap at the elderly woman in response, but thought better of it in front of Lion-o and his group.

"Lady Claire and I do not always see eye to eye" Philippe told him as he ground his teeth trying not to let an outburst erupt from his mouth. Lion-o just glanced between the two, worried that his team had blundered into a minefield. Celica told her about her adventure to another city away from the armies of Lyon, and how Lion-o had saved her. The entire time Claire pulled her chair out and sat down without a word, nodding as she listened. Philippe was about to yell at her for sitting before the king, but Lion-o thought nothing of it and sat down with the others. The Duke had no choice but to keep his mouth shut and sit finally.

"I guess he has a backbone then. I expected him to be… taller… however" Claire replied to her granddaughter's tale as she looked at Bengali. Lion-o looked down at himself and wondered if he really was short. He was almost the same height as Tygra, and was still taller than Cheetara. Kalihara was about the same height as him, but Bengali was easily a few inches above his head and was wider with broader shoulders and more muscle. Panthro dwarfed them all.

"And built better. C'est La vie. Tell me, what have you been doing since the fall of your home, my king?" Claire asked of him.

"Mother…" Philippe growled.

"Hold your tongue Philippe! I would know this. I do not bow in my own home remember!" she snapped.

"We've been traveling the world seeking the stones of power that had been split amongst the species so long ago. We're fighting a war against Mumm-ra. He's returned."

"A noble goal. Tell me, what will you do once you have defeated him?"

"Rebuild Thundera, what else? It's going to be tough for a while, but I think we can do it. I have faith in my people to be able to survive" he replied. His hands had come up onto the table and his fingers clasped each other as he sat contemplating ideas to rebuild his home.

"Is that it? Young king, with all due respect, that is short sighted. Have you thought about trade with other species? Other cities? What will you do when politics get in the way and a council from your people disagrees with you? How will you defend your rebuilt home? Have you put any thought into this? Have you thought about a queen?" she asked.

"That is enough!" Duke Philippe snapped.

"Don't you tell me what to do boy. Respect your elders!" she snarled, the wrinkles around her eyes making her look even more savage.

"I have thought about trade with the other species. We've been isolated for so long and oppressing everyone else with taking the best hunting areas and farmlands that we need to fix how we treat others. We won't make it if we don't. As for a council, if there is one; I will accept their views, but ultimately I am king, and I will decide how best to take care of my people. I will rely on them to bring up issues to me, as I cannot be everywhere at once, and some things will escape my notice. To defend Thundera… we're going to have to rely on others that we've gained alliances with until we can support ourselves with our own military again. Hopefully that will not be long." Lion-o held back from responding about the last question.

"And what of a queen? Have you put consideration into this?" Claire asked. Celica sat next to Lion-o and gazed at his eyes as he stared at the table. She was expecting him to answer with her name.

"I haven't decided yet, and with everything happening and trying to stop Mumm-ra, it's a little too soon to be bringing up that subject." The princess's face looked saddened by his response as she turned her head towards her empty plate and blinked. Lion-o's eyes flicked to Kalihara, who was sitting straight in her seat with her hands clasped together on the edge of the table. He had said that he loved her, though she had warned him that he would find a princess. What was he going to do?

"Making political connections early can solidify the help you need in the future. A political marriage may be more beneficial than one of love" Claire told him as she sipped from her glass of wine that a servant quickly poured. The kitchen servants came out quickly with a pot filled with soup, in which they quickly poured from a ladle into their bowls. The young king looked up at her in astonishment.

"What are you saying? That I should marry just to open trade with a city? I can't do that. I won't be forced to marry for anything but love" he replied sternly. Celica looked at him with curiosity, as did Kalihara.

"Then hopefully you are as smart as you are skillful in combat to come up with a plan of action to get the help you will need to save your people, and make your feelings known" the grandmother said as she picked up her spoon and dipped it into her bowl, sipping at the broth.

"Which spoon do we use?" Kit whispered to Kalihara.

"Work from the outside in" she whispered back. Kit grabbed the outermost spoon and started to eat her soup, as did the others. Celica and her father started up a conversation with Lion-o, which left Panthro and Lynx-o to start their own conversation while Tygra and Cheetara talked about their future together. Bengali and Kalihara along with the cubs were left to their own devices as more food was brought out. They seemed to be ostracized in a castle full of nobles.

"Why is Lion-o not sitting at the front of the table?" Kat whispered to Kalihara.

"There may be a rule that the head of the house, regardless of royalty being in the home or not, sits at the tip. It might be customary."

"Tell me young girl, you do not look to be someone from Thundera with that uniform of yours. I take it you are a soldier. Hard to believe they allow women to fight. Where are you from?" Claire asked Kalihara. She coughed on her slice of salmon as she put her fork down.

"I am from Thundera, but not the city" she replied calmly.

"Oh? So you are not from Third Earth? Hard to imagine this fairytale, but do go on" Claire said blinking. She was very blunt in her speech, and spoke her mind it seemed. Lion-o stopped talking to Celica and glared at her grandmother.

"It is not a fairytale. We all were originally from Thundera, not Third Earth, and they allow anyone to join the military as long as you can accept coed training." Bengali found it hard to believe that the military she once served had coed living accommodations, or coed showers. A blush appeared on his face as he tried to push some thoughts out of his mind.

"Preposterous! We've always lived on Third Earth" Claire chuckled.

"You might have, but your ancestors did not. I actually fought against them, and we barely won." Claire blinked at her and looked at Lion-o then back at her.

"So you are saying you are an enemy of our people?" the elderly woman asked.

"You were the rebels, we were the loyalists. We were fighting for our home. Your ancestors pulled some gruesome actions against mine. What happened in the past is done, however. The actions of the parents should not be weighed on the children. No one here remembers it or cares beyond me. It's pointless now" Kalihara turned away from the woman and continued to eat her food in silence. Claire eyed her up.

"Are you already spoken for by the king?" she asked. Everyone coughed as Bengali spit out the sip he was taking of his drink.

"Oh boy… here we go…" Panthro grumbled.

"Excuse me?" the lioness asked, trying to swallow her food without choking on it. Lion-o was coughing heavily. Celica glared at the soldier as she glanced at Lion-o, wondering his response.

"I… well… she…" he coughed again as he tried to think up an answer "That is none of your concern. It's under discussion" he finally replied flatly as he took a sip from his glass. Celica looked back at Kalihara, who never made eye contact with the princess. Her eyes narrowed.

"So you two are not together? Then that keeps things interesting between my granddaughter and you your majesty" Claire commented and continued with eating. Lion-o felt awkward as he noticed Celica staring at Kalihara, as did Bengali as he saw her eating. If the questions had bugged her, she didn't show it. The young king wondered if she even cared about Celica fawning over him, or if she was jealous at all. She had told him he would find a princess to be with, but he thought she was just testing his resolve to see if he really cared. Now that it was true, he had no idea what to think. Here he was with a princess very willing to be his wife and mate, and yet he was holding out for someone who kept trying to push him away.

Dessert came quickly, as the night rolled by faster than anyone expected with the conversations and the addition of an old friend from Thundera coming back to them. Lion-o asked Lynx-o that very night to join them for the search for the other stone shards, and he gladly accepted.

"I will follow you anywhere my king" the old General replied. The young lion was glad to have him back.

"So, you will be staying for some time yes?" Philippe asked.

"Actually we should be heading out as quickly as we can, probably tomorrow morning" Lion-o replied. Celica gasped.

"Uh, surely you jest your majesty. Tomorrow you should relax. We could provide troops to assist you in your endeavor, wizards to provide the means to easily repel any attacks as you travel. This will take some time to muster however, and one day staying in our fair city of Lyon could give you some time to unwind from your harsh adventure" the Duke interjected quickly, attempting to get the king to stay a bit longer. If it was for his daughter or for other reasons, he didn't have a clue either way.

"I suppose one day wouldn't hurt, give us some time to resupply" Lion-o answered as he looked between both of them.

Once the dinner was over and everyone was ready to go to bed, the group got up and headed out. Lion-o caught sight of Bengali and Kalihara leading the cubs to the Feliner instead of to rooms in the castle.

"Hey, where are you guys going?" he asked suspiciously. Celica walked up to Lion-o and leaned against his shoulder.

"Yes, I would like to know as well. Is our hospitality not good enough for you?" she asked. Bengali was about to snap at her, but Kalihara intercepted the question quickly.

"The rooms provided in the barracks do not meet our needs, and so therefore we have decided to return to our rooms on the Feliner." Lion-o heard the word barracks, which meant they were not in guest rooms. He knew what a bunk room looked like for soldiers back in Thundera, and the fact they were given similar bedrooms did not sit well with him. He looked at Celica who shrugged in confusion.

"You were not to be brought to the barracks, you were to be put in guest rooms just below us" Celica responded with curiosity tinting her voice. A wizard came in from behind and coughed to interrupt.

"My lady, your father requested that they be segregated from the nobility, to stop any offense taken from others who are in the castle. We have Counts come from nearby lands that may not feel at ease with them traipsing through the place that they are staying at" the wizard told her.

"So we're considered beggars, lowlifes. Great" Bengali growled. Lion-o glared at the wizard.

"That is unacceptable! They are my friends whether he likes it or not! If they aren't allowed to stay in better rooms, then I'm staying in the ship as well away from the nobility with their noses in the air!" the young king growled out. Celica wrapped her arm around his and looked at the wizard.

"Have the rooms changed at once! Per the king's orders! His troop will not be treated as ruffians!" she snapped.

"Uh… yes my lady…" he replied as he turned and looked at Kalihara and Bengali.

"I'm perfectly fine in the ship. Bahati needs to be taken care of anyways" Kalihara responded as she turned around and started walking down the hallway.

"Thanks but no thanks, I'd rather not get sideswiped again" Bengali grumbled as he turned on his heel and followed her. The cubs shrugged as they chased after their aunt, which left Lion-o watching their receding forms towards the doors. He let out a deep sigh as he closed his eyes. Celica patted him on the shoulder and gave him a smile.

"You gave them a chance to be treated better and they threw it in your face. If they have any complaints, they brought it on themselves" she told him quietly. He looked at her face as she tilted her head slightly, her brown wavy hair shifting to the angle.

"I guess" he replied as they turned around and headed upstairs. The four retired to their guest rooms while Bengali and the others got inside the Feliner. Bahati was whining to be fed as he walked across his perch, as he only ate the seeds when he was truly starving. He much preferred having fresh fruit or vegetables with bugs given to him. Kalihara took off her uniform carefully as she folded and placed each piece in a bag, until she was changed into her casual attire of cargo pants and a T-shirt.

"Alright, alright, I'll go get your dinner ready" the lioness cooed as the little bird flew to her shoulder and went with her as she brought his bowl to the kitchen and cut up some fruits from the refrigerator. She pulled out a fairly large beetle that they sealed away just in case things got desperate, and held it to his beak. He quickly grabbed it with one of his feet and started biting into its shell, breaking parts off of it as she continued to dice the fruit up for him. Bengali came in wearing just his pants and his linen shirt.

"Hey, just wondering what your view is about how they're treating us "ruffians" in all this" he asked. She turned her head as Bahati chirped and looked at the big white tiger. He then continued eating his crunchy treat.

"No comment" she replied as she poured the cut up fruit into the Quekan's bowl and cleaned up the dicing board.

"No comment? They think we're the same as beggars following around Lion-o! It's like we shouldn't be even associating with them."

"Don't let it get to you, it happens everywhere." Kalihara walked past him as she headed to her bedroom and put the bowl down on the ground, which led to Bahati hopping off her shoulder and down to his food dish. He quickly started to peck away at the sweet colored flesh as she stood up from her crouch.

"Come on, you gotta be annoyed somewhat by this" he said from the doorframe.

"I've gotten used to it" she replied. Bengali was surprised to hear that.

"Wait, what? Used to it? How?" he asked as she started to brush her hair.

"Back on Thundera, at the start of the civil war, everyone knew that Leo was the leader of the entire rebel faction under Mumm-ra's command. He was a lion, and most of his comrades were lions. Therefore, everyone assumed our kind could not be trusted, and that we were quick to change sides if it meant more power. We were shunned and treated like outcasts or worse. I was one of the lucky ones, as I joined the military to fight Mumm-ra." Bengali was shocked to know that she was treated like dirt by her own people.

"I can't believe they did that to you…" he said softly as his eyes traveled the ground, not able to look upon her.

"I can't exactly blame them. Most of the corrupt politicians in our government were in fact lions, so it seemed natural for them to broaden the spectrum from politician to student and other jobs" she told him as she stared at the mirror.

"They must have treated you poorly… I'm sorry…" he said as his hands balled into fists.

"The words used to describe us were not exactly pleasant, especially us women. I had to fight to gain respect and show what I was made of. Most others were not so lucky, and fought for dead end jobs in fast food restaurants or labor intensive work for little pay. However, what has happened was in the past, it's long since gone. As I said, I'm used to being ostracized" she told him as she looked at him while putting her brush down.

"I… I wish I had your sense of control…" he commented softly as he gazed at her.

"It is simple experience, one that I wish on no one. Now, I'm tired and wish to go to bed. Goodnight" she replied as he nodded and stepped back. She reached for the door control as he cleared his throat.

"Hey, um, I know I already asked this, but tomorrow you said you might think about exploring the city with me. The cubs can come along as well. I just think… well, I just think that Lion-o may not have a reason to have us around with him in there tomorrow if you catch my drift" he said as he watched her face. She looked up into his eyes.

"Maybe, we'll see" she replied. He told her goodnight and to sleep well as she nodded and closed the door. He turned around and headed towards his bedroom as the cubs played their games behind closed doors. As he laid down on his bed and went to sleep, he could hear from the other side beeps and other sounds coming from the game as the cubs cheered at winning another level. He quickly banged on the wall.

"Hey! Lower the volume!" he yelled.

"Sorry!" he heard in unison as the sound died away and he was finally able to get some rest.

**[Morning]**

Kalihara woke up early as always as Bengali knocked on her door and realized she wasn't inside after no response came. He walked over to the cub's bunk room and knocked on their door as well.

"Uh? Ergh…" he heard from the other side. The white tiger opened the door to see the cubs hiding their eyes from the light showing from the hallway as he peered inside, their eyes half shut.

"Good morning. I actually made breakfast" he said as he looked at each of them.

"What time is it?" Kit whined as she tried to hide her head under her sheets.

"It's half past nine. You two were up all night playing weren't you?" he asked.

"Just five more minutes, just five more minutes…" Kat mumbled as he hid his head under his pillow and tried to go back to sleep.

"You aren't hungry? Come on, food first to make sure you two are fed, and then you can take another nap until we hear from Lion-o" he said as he tried to pull the sheets off both of them.

"No, come on… please…" Kit whined as Kat tried to hold onto his sheets. He finally got them up and waddling to the kitchen as he set their plates on the table and let them pick at the food until the smell got to them and they quickly shoveled the piles of scrambled eggs and meats into their small mouths. He piled another plate with more food and walked out of the kitchen and through the hatchway, looking both ways for the lioness. As he walked down the ramp he saw four guards at their stations further away, with Kalihara leaning over the stone railing and staring at something, wearing her green tank top covered with a black field jacket over it. She still had her cargo pants on as he walked over as she looked at him.

"Breakfast" he said simply as he placed the plate on the railing and looked out at the sky. He now knew what she was watching as Bahati was circling and strafing, emulating two hunting falcons who were being trained in the air. As they dove much further out, he dove, and flipped around as they screeched, with the young bird trying to copy their sound. A smile crept onto the lioness's face as she watched her pet try and act like a falcon.

"Those guys are a bit out of your league little one" she whispered as the Quekan flew back to her and sat on the stone, looking between the two cats and letting out a long chitter. He wiggled his tail as he turned around and watched the falcons head back to their masters.

"There's nothing he can't do if he puts his mind to it" Bengali chuckled.

"Tell that to those birds of prey. Quekans just do not look like their designed to hunt anything beyond bugs and fruits. Bahati has a fire in him, I can see that, but if push comes to shove, he'd probably lose against one of those falcons" she replied as she gave the young bird a scratch behind his neck. Bahati ruffled his feathers as he enjoyed the attention, and gave her finger a small kiss with his beak.

"If push comes to shove, I think he'd rather go down fighting" the white tiger responded as he put his hand out for the Quekan to see if he would allow the cat to give him any attention. The little bird let out a small squawk as he raised his wings, hissing right after as his feathers ruffled up. Bengali pulled his hand back with a smirk.

"Still don't trust anyone beyond her do you?" he asked as Bahati backed up and hid next to Kalihara's arm. His beautiful tail plumage had grown somewhat while he was with them, and now hung down the side of the thick stone railing with a bright waterfall of blue and green with yellow tips.

"Come on little guy, let's go inside. You've had enough time to play with the big kids" she whispered to the little Quekan as he chirped in response, with Bengali picking up the plate and bringing it inside with her following him.

**[Meanwhile]**

Lion-o heard his doors open and immediately shot up onto his arm, leaning as his eyes shot open and his brain tried to register who had come in. The sudden rush of light that shot into his eyes quickly made him shut his eyelids as he tried to slowly crack them open little by little to figure out what was happening.

"Good morning your majesty. We've come with your breakfast at the princess's behest" a servant said as they put down a rolled in table and started to put food down. They put two chairs down on either side as Celica walked in and smiled at him. He blinked as he took in a deep breath, trying to clear the fog of sleep from his mind as he looked around.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Lion-o, did I wake you?" the snow leopard asked as she batted her eyes at him.

"Wha uh… well… um…" he mumbled out as he pulled his legs out from under the covers and sat on the edge of the bed blinking. He hadn't had much sleep last night as his mind was constantly racing through the questions that her grandmother had asked. He had hoped he would be given the chance to sleep in given that he was the king, but sadly it was not to be so.

"I don't really know what your favorite is for breakfast, so I asked our chefs to cook a bit of everything" Celica giggled as she sat down and motioned for him to sit as well. He took another breath as he stood up, his breeches still on as he forgot to remove them. He looked down and noticed how small they looked and quickly scanned the ground.

"Oh don't worry, I'll never tell" the princess said coyly as she eyed the lean muscles on his torso and arms. He scratched the back of his fiery red hair and heard his stomach growl once he caught a whiff of the pancakes and sausages on the table, among the collection of other foods. A servant quickly poured a cup of something black for him, in which the smell did smell interesting as it seemed roasted.

"What is it?" he asked as he stared into the brownish black liquid.

"Coffee. You've never had it before? Try it" Celica chuckled as she motioned for the servants to bring the cream and sugar. Before they could offer the condiments for it, however, he took a sip and put the cup down, grimacing as the taste seemed bitter.

"That stuff is disgusting" he said as he cocked his head back, an instinctive reaction to keep as far away from the foul tasting liquid as possible.

"You add cream and sugar to it if you don't like the plain taste silly" she giggled as the servants poured some cream and two lumps of sugar into her cup, in which they stirred the mixture together. She picked up the cup and sipped lightly as she cut her pancakes into pieces. Lion-o watched the servants pour a bit of cream into his cup and ask how many lumps he would wish to be placed in.

"Uh… two?" he guessed as he had seen the same put into Celica's. Two lumps of fine white powdery substance were placed into his cup and stirred carefully, with him finally picking up the cup and tasting it one more time.

"Better?" she asked. He nodded in agreement.

"It will wake you up for this beautiful day. Papa is already making efforts to help you on your trip, and gathering needed supplies for my room" she told him as she ate a piece of fruit. Lion-o nearly choked on his coffee as he heard her say that.

"You're coming with us?" he asked.

"Well of course! You are definitely lacking in the magic department, and against anything you come up against you will need my help. You want me to come don't you?" she asked as she leaned in towards his face and gazed into his eyes with a smile.

"Uh… well…" He muttered as he thought about it. She was making every effort to make sure he was comfortable and happy, and literally hung on his every word. She might seem obsessive to him, but he quickly figured it was because she knew she was meeting her betrothed from an arranged marriage written and signed for so long ago by their parents. For all he knew, she could have dreaming of meeting her prince this entire time. It was probably some fairytale happily ever after ending that she wanted with him. Did he want the same thing? He liked the fact that she cared about him and wanted to be with him, but his heart was still lingering on Kalihara who still hadn't shown any interest in him. Maybe he needed to do the same with her as he did with Cheetara, and ignore those feelings. He wasn't ready to do that at that time though.

"Try the pancakes, they're delicious" he heard from behind. His head whipped around and saw his brother leaning against the doorframe with a smile on his face.

"You've already eaten?" he asked.

"I'm always the early riser remember? You always slept through everything and hoped there was a summary at the end" Tygra snickered. Lion-o rolled his eyes as the tiger prince goaded him. Cheetara was next to him, wearing what looked like a modified dress of her normal clothes, but with golden lace running along the weave as well as two silver vines stenciled into the collar. She looked regal now compared to her previous style. Tygra was wearing a light blue button up shirt with a high collar and twin silver vambraces. Cheetara noticed Lion-o was still wearing the breeches from last night and smirked.

"What?" the young king asked with annoyance.

"Nothing" she smiled as he scoffed and looked back at the food in front of him. He ate quickly as he wanted to get dressed and see what Celica's father was doing so that his friends and he could leave as soon as possible. Once he was full, three servants came in with new clothes and towels for him to wash with.

"Where are my old clothes?" he asked.

"They are being laundered your majesty" one of the servants replied with a bow.

"They said that yesterday. I want them" he said sternly.

"Uh… wha… y-yes your majesty…" the servants said as Celica stood up.

"Why do you want to wear that armor? You would look very hansom in these clothes" she said as she picked up the shirt laid out on the bed.

"I miss the clothes that I've broken in. I'm used to them." He lied. It wasn't that he was used to his old clothes, it was that he hated the clothes that they picked out for him. Regardless of how he looked in them, they were incredibly uncomfortable and constantly pressing against his neck. He wanted something that didn't make him want to rip off half of the layers and tear at the threads just to breathe.

**[Four Hours Later]**

Lion-o stood with Duke Philippe and both Generals along with his brother as they surveyed multiple maps stretched out on a table.

"We are bringing in available companies to assist in your endeavor, but it may take some time" Celica's father told the young king.

"How long?" he asked.

"Mmm, a week, two weeks at most" he replied.

"Never mind, we can't wait that long. We should get moving right now. Thank you for the offer, but the troops should protect the land until we've gotten all of the stones in one place. Then we might wait" Lion-o told him as he stopped leaning on the table and stood straight, ready to head out of the war room and pick up his sword and gauntlet.

"W-wait!... surely you require at least one more day to resupply no? At least stay for our celebration in your honor" Philippe begged.

"Celebration?" Tygra asked as he looked at his brother, who shrugged as he was just as curious as the tiger.

"Yes! Yes, a ball we will be throwing. All of the nobility will be there! Surely you would wish to meet your people in this city yes? They are most eager to see their king enjoying himself after such hardship!" the Duke asked enthusiastically as he gestured his hands in the air wildly before clasping them together with a smile on his face.

"Uh… we really should be going… but…" Lion-o said as he thought of a decision.

"One day couldn't hurt, you said it yourself" Tygra commented.

"My daughter would be most pleased if you stayed. One night to relax and enjoy all that our city has to offer." Lion-o sighed as he put on a smile and nodded.

"Alright, one more day, but tomorrow we need to leave."

**[Meanwhile]**

Bengali cut the last chip off of a small log that he had brought with him after they had left El Daron, and turned the wood block into a winged creature with a robe trailing to the feet. The being was feminine, with long hair etched into the back falling to the small of the back. It was crude, but appealing to the eye from the small amount of work he had put into it. Anything he could find to keep him occupied while the cubs slept through the day. He would have to make a note to tell Kalihara to disconnect the power to the game console or they wouldn't get a good night's rest.

'Ugh…" he grunted as he was fed up with waiting for any information from Lion-o or his brother. He had not once checked on the rest of his group the entire time he was staying in the castle. He finally got up from his perch on the edge of his bed and left his room. He headed to the front of the ship and saw Kalihara lying on the small couch with her back against the wall reading a book about Quekans. Bahati was asleep on her knee which was bent up towards her chest, as she flipped through pages and continued reading until she looked up at the blacksmith standing there.

"Need something?" she asked quietly as she watched him with curiosity in her eyes.

"Just stir crazy. Any word from he who is above us?" he asked her, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Nothing yet. You need to be patient" she responded as she looked back at her book.

"I've been patient for half the day. He's probably lounging around with that princess right now eating delicacies in bed…" the white tiger half whispered.

"I'm sure you're overreacting. He's probably attempting to get the Duke to provide supplies for us so we can continue on" she told him as she turned a page, not putting much interest in his pacing around the cargo hold. A small cooing noise escaped Bahati's beak, letting it be known he didn't like the noise that Bengali was making.

"We could at least go out and see the city if he's gonna make us wait. Come on, what's the harm in sight seeing?" he asked as he gestured his hands out the cargo door.

"He might want to leave as soon as he arrives back at the ship" she said as she raised an eyebrow and continued to read.

"Or he might tell us that he's holding off until he's married Princess better than thou." Just then, Bengali turned around and saw a messenger head out from the castle doors and head down the stairs leading to the city. He furrowed his eyebrows as he wondered what that involved.

"Hold that thought, I'll be right back…" he said as she sighed. He walked out of the ship and headed down the stairs towards where the messenger had headed to, and as he followed the cat to the main plaza, he saw the cat move to different houses which looked incredibly expensive and shove a note into each mailbox. As the messenger left, he grabbed one of them and opened it carefully to see what it said.

"Attention Sir Araman, there will be a short notice ball happening tonight at four in celebration to our glorious king coming to our beloved city. If you would wish to attend, please mark with your approval seal on this note and replace back into your mailbox. It will be retrieved within the hour." Bengali let out a soft growl of annoyance as he folded the note back up and shoved it back into the mailbox, looking in all directions to make sure the guards hadn't seen him remove the paper in the first place. He quickly returned to the ship as snow started to softly fall across the city.

"You'll never believe this. There's going to be a ball happening tonight in Lion-o's honor, so we definitely will not be leaving today" he grumbled as she turned another page and scratched Bahati behind his neck.

"Alright, and? He's a king; people throw parties for political officials all the time when they show up. You're reading too much into this" she replied.

"What do you want to bet we aren't invited?" he asked.

"I doubt he'd do that."

"How do you know?"

"Because Lion-o isn't one to keep the rest of us separated from him in an unknown city that he has no idea how to-" she stopped short as she looked out the cargo door and saw the messenger return to the castle. No one came towards the ship with any notes.

"Still think I'm reading too much into this? He's being treated as royalty again and he's loving it, so he forgets about those who are below him in status all over again until some cataclysmic event happens to make him care about us all of a sudden" Bengali sarcastically as he shook his hands in the air as a sign of some celestial reaction to Lion-o ignoring them.

"So we're not invited. I don't like balls regardless. I never did learn to do the waltz" she replied.

"Hey, that means we have time to see the city. NOW can we go?" he asked. She looked up at him and sighed.

"Sheesh you're annoying when you're stir crazy… fine, alright, let me see if the cubs are awake." He straightened quickly as she lifted the Quekan onto her shoulder and got up from her seat on the couch, and headed through the hatchway with her book under her arm towards the cub's bunkroom. She opened the door as Bengali did a fist pump. To him it was a date with her, even if she was bringing the cubs along for the ride.

"Hey you two, no more playing into the wee hours of the morning. Time to get up" she could be heard through the open door.

"Aww, Kali… just five more minutes…" Kat mumbled.

"Not happening kiddo. You've slept through the morning and it's afternoon already. Lunch time, and later we're heading into the city" she told them quietly. The cubs sat up right as they looked at her.

"Does that mean we're staying for another day?" Kit asked.

"It looks like it" she replied.

"Wait, does that mean Lion-o hasn't come back yet today?" Kat asked. The lioness was about to say something but no words escaped her mouth. Her mind went blank as she tried to think of an answer to the question.

"He's probably occupied with royal duties. We're not invited. Come on, get up and get cleaned up for the day" she told them as she pulled the sheets down to their legs as they slipped out of bed, rubbing their eyes at the same time while she folded their sheets and made their beds. Once the cubs had showered and brushed their teeth, they both headed to the kitchen where Bengali was making sandwiches. Once everyone was fed and dressed for the rest of the day, the four headed out of the ship and down into the city. Kalihara left a note on the couch for Lion-o in case he did come back to let him know where they were.

"Come on Kali! Let's go see what the place has to offer!" Kit said as she gave her a big wave with her arm.

"Alright alright, I'm coming" the soldier replied as she headed after them.

"Let's hit the toy shops first" Kat giggled.

"Toy shops? I want to see their blacksmith. Wondering if they magically enhance their materials or anything. I've been curious about that the entire time we've been here" Bengali said as he cocked his head at the cubs.

"Toys first, then work" Kit whined.

"Do I get a say in any of this?" Kalihara asked.

"Where do you want to go?" the white tiger asked.

"Believe it or not I want to see their library."

"You want to read? Ugh" Kat gagged and stuck out his tongue.

"Hey now, she gets to have a say in this too, even if the place she wants to go see is a little boring" Bengali said sternly to the cubs.

"A little boring?" she asked as she looked at him with a small smirk on her face and grinded her teeth together.

"What? Reading all day is for dweebs. Action, not words, that's what makes the world go round" he chuckled.

"You have no idea what you're talking about. Education is preferable to experience when anything you do can bring harm to others" she sighed out and shook her head softly as she headed on with the cubs, taking each of their hands as Bengali watched her.

"Huh?" he asked as he shrugged his shoulders.

**[Somewhere in the Castle]**

"Is everything being prepared for their arrival?" the Duke asked a wizard.

"We have placed wards to fend off any of the minor attempts at magic, there is a sleeping potion ready just in case, and all guards are on standby" the wizard explained.

"Good. Everything will go as planned. Soon everything will be set in motion, and my rise to a higher position in the nobility will be cemented in history" he laughed out loud as he rung his hands together.

**[Two Hours Later]**

"May I introduce, the count and countess of Les Fa Notre fiefdom, Sir Antoine and Lady Clarice" the announcer said as another couple entered into the ballroom wearing a suit and gown. Lion-o peeked through the door off to the side at the five throne chairs sitting on the far side wall, watching the entire room. He was already dressed in a silver and gold suit with a tight collar, which he constantly pulled at to help him breath. Tygra was behind him in the same suit just with less gold stenciling and with a bit of light blue.

"You worry too much" his brother said as he straightened the cuffs on his jacket.

"How many balls have you gone to might I ask?" the young king asked sarcastically.

"Point taken. These are just nobles, and whatever you do they can't have a problem with. They worship you for crying out loud. Anything you say or do will be ignored. They'll laugh with you, not at you" Tygra chuckled.

"I'm just worried I'm going to look… uncivilized" Lion-o muttered out as he looked at the floor with worry.

"Hey" the tiger prince said as he walked in front of his brother and leaned his chin up. He checked the king's collar and straightened his jacket, and then checked the lion's cuffs to make sure they were buttoned correctly.

"Hopeless… just remember what father taught us if we ever had to do something like this. Wave your hand in a slide motion to decline the offer of a drink, keep your chin up always, don't slouch, hold a drink from the stem not the cup, and try and look regal. No one will try and strike up a conversation with you unless their sitting in one of those big chairs." Lion-o was impressed with Tygra's knowledge of working a dance floor.

"I don't know how to ballroom dance" he muttered. The tiger's eyes widened.

"You mean you never went to the classes that father wanted us to take?! You can't be serious!" Tygra snapped with his jaw hanging open a little.

"That's bad isn't it? Can you give me a quick rundown?" he asked. Tygra slapped his hand to his forehead and gave a facepalm.

"Are we ready?" they both heard from behind as Celica walked in wearing a frilly white dress with pom pom shoulders. Her hair was pulled back and to the side, placing more emphasis on the wavy curls and shine than the actual style.

"Uh, yeah, uh… look, we don't have to dance do we?" Lion-o asked. Tygra nodded in agreement.

"They'll expect at least one dance from the king. I'm sure you are an excellent dancer" she replied with a smile. Tygra and Lion-o looked at each with worry.

"I have an idea" Tygra whispered. Cheetara walked to his side wearing far less fluffier emerald green dress that wrapped around her neck instead of having sleeves. It showed off her arms and shoulders, with a cut out of her back. He whispered to Cheetara and she nodded.

"What?" Lion-o asked.

"Celica, would you be interested with dancing with me instead of Lion-o just for today? He's a bit nervous and doesn't want to cause… any stress for you if he missteps" Tygra asked. Celica blinked and looked at Lion-o, as he glanced between Cheetara and her. The older cheetah nodded at him in response.

"Anything he does I will have no problems with. He is my king, and hopefully… more" she said quietly as she batted her eyelids softly at him.

"Good, then he will dance with Cheetara, and I will dance with you" the tiger responded as the doors opened.

"Wait, what-" Celica started to object as she didn't mean it that way, but they were already heading out into the room.

"The things I do for you…" Tygra whispered to Lion-o as he gave him a slight glare before smiling at the people waiting outside of the door.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! King Lion-o, Lord of the Thunder Cats, with the daughter of Duke Philippe, Princess Celica at his side. Also, Prince Tygra of the Thunder Cats, with his mate, Cleric Cheetara at his side" the announcer yelled out. Lion-o took Celica's hand and walked carefully and slowly out of the door as the nobles clapped for him as he made his way to the large ornate chairs, with Tygra right behind him. He still was confused as to why Tygra wanted him to dance with Cheetara for tonight, but at the moment his mind was quickly losing focus as his eyes searched the room. The rest of his group was nowhere to be seen beyond Panthro and Lynx-o. He stepped up the small four part stairs to the seats and turned, with Celica smiling at everyone and holding onto his arm. She was wearing a silver crown while he wore a golden, with multiple rubies and a diamond in the middle of his.

"Tell them let the ball commence" Tygra whispered from the side of his mouth.

**[Music: Vivaldi – The Four Seasons: Violin Concerto In F Major, RV 293 "Autumn": III. Allegro]**

"Let the ball commence" Lion-o said out loud quickly as he motioned with two fingers. The dancing started as the music continued to play from the orchestra near the left wall. The young king let out a breath he didn't know he was holding as they sat in the chairs, with Duke Philippe to the left of Celica. The princess pulled out a fan and waved it slowly in front of her as her eyes watched the scene. A servant walked up with a tray of champagne and held it in white gloves for the young king to take. Lion-o had never drank alcohol before, as his father had told him never imbibe it unless you don't care about the consequences. Considering he was almost always with his father, he always cared about what he might do or how he might act if he became intoxicated. He looked to Tygra, who took the glass and sipped it, as his brother's eyes looked at him and then glanced at a tray of hors d'oeuvres. Lion-o wondered why he was looking at them.

"Don't drink alcohol on an empty stomach" Tygra whispered to him. Another tray was brought to him as he picked up a small quiche. The young lion did the same as he downed the glass of champagne in one shot, with Tygra watching in horror.

"Oh boy…" the tiger prince whispered as he tried to keep himself from bringing his hand up to his forehead. Lion-o quickly ate the quiche as he looked to his left and saw Celica glance at him and smile. If she had noticed him inhale the glass of champagne and the appetizer, she didn't say anything. Maybe he could get away with certain things.

"The dance will be happening soon. Are you sure you don't wish to be on the floor with me?" she asked with a pouty face.

"He's sure" Tygra answered for him as the lion looked at him. Tygra nodded as Cheetara glanced over at his face. He still wondered why she was going to be his dance partner, not that he minded. She looked gorgeous sitting next to Tygra.

**[Meanwhile]**

"Hey, don't touch what you aren't buying" Bengali snapped as he batted Kit's hand away from a toy that she more than likely wouldn't play with, but wanted to see how it worked.

"Why? We have the money for it" she replied up at him as her eyes betrayed her annoyance.

"Just because you can doesn't mean you should" he told her sternly.

"Wiser words were never spoken" Kalihara said behind them as she looked at a small puzzle that showed the moon cresting over green plains with small flowers and a tree in the distance. Both she and Bengali were dressed casually, with a jacket worn by all of them. Despite the magic the city had, temperature outside was beyond their control, though their farmlands and streets were kept clear of any snow somehow.

"I'm gonna get this" Kat said as he picked up some action figure.

"Will you play with it, that's the question" the lioness asked.

"Of course I will! Why would I buy it if I wouldn't play with it?" he responded.

"Because it looks cool, and then you'll find that you have no other action figures for it to fight" she told him. The cub frowned as he looked at the toy in his hands, let out a small sigh and slowly put it down.

"Can I get two?" he asked.

"It looked like they only had that one, so you'd have a clone of himself to contend with. Come on, there are times when you don't need to spend money, and this is one of them." She offered her hand and he took it, with the team of four heading out of the toy shop and down the road. They passed by multiple other shops as they walked, mostly fashion stores or jewelers. One was a blacksmith, but Bengali immediately stopped short as he entered the front door and walked right back to the small team, as he noticed it was for simple repairs or horseshoes. Eventually they found themselves deeper into the darker part of the city, with the less than fortunate living in the area. Beggars were asking for a few coins to feed them or their families, with drunkards wandering off. There were unsavory folk standing off in the alleys, watching them as they walked by.

"Not exactly what I was expecting for a magic imbued metropolis" Bengali said out loud as his eyes scanned his surroundings.

"More than likely magic is a controlled substance. Those who can afford it get its benefits; those who cannot… end up like this" Kalihara commented as the cubs kept close to them. She had brought her scout drone with her just in case, as well as her combat knife and sidearm hidden under her jacket. She couldn't be too careful in the environment they were in.

"There's a tavern up ahead" Kit observed as they headed off towards it and entered through the front door.

"Yeah, now that you mention it I'm getting hungry again. How long has it been since we left the ship?" the white tiger asked.

"It's time for dinner" Kat told him as they walked up to the bar with the barkeep washing the counter. There were a few who they wanted to stay away from inside, but the rest seemed to be just common folk who were relaxing after a hard day of work. In the corner was a booth with hard slabs to sit on, but it was the safest spot in the building it seemed.

"What do you have to eat?" Bengali asked.

"And who are you? One of the nobles coming to say their piece about our cleanliness or if this place meets their standards?" the keep asked.

"What? No, we're not nobles at all" the blacksmith tried to explain.

"Don't believe yee. Not with those clothes" the robust cat snapped.

"Why would we enter if we were nobles? We're just trying to get something to eat, ease up" Kat told him.

"Even the youngsters are being brought into this!" the barkeep said with sarcasm.

"Food. You serve it, we want it; as long as it doesn't taste like it came out the other end or it isn't giving anybody dysentery, I suggest you shut your mouth and serve us because I'm getting tired of being told I'm one thing and not the other damn it" Kalihara snapped as she slammed her fist onto the counter. He eyed her with furrowed eyebrows before bursting out laughing.

"Definitely not a noble with that mouth lady. Go sit in the corner, a wench will be with you shortly" he chuckled out.

"I swear…" she muttered as the group walked to the small booth and sat down, with Bengali smiling.

"What?" she asked.

"You throw down with the best of them. And you said you didn't take it personally back on the ship" he chuckled.

"You learn a lot when you used to be treated like some… er…" she stopped short as she looked at the cubs.

"A woman of ill repute?" the white tiger asked quietly. She didn't respond. A waitress came over to their table with a tray and looked at them.

"What'll you be havin?" she asked as they looked amongst each other.

"What do you have?" Bengali asked.

"Meat stew, leg of lamb, we got fish and burgers. Rest is on the menu" she said as she dropped a sheet of paper on the table. They all looked at it quickly.

"I'll have a piece of the leg please" the blacksmith ordered.

"Two burgers for us please" the cubs said in unison.

"I'll have the stew" Kalihara told the waitress as she picked up the sheet.

"To drink?" They all looked at each other.

"Uh… water?" Bengali asked but the lioness shook her head. "On second thought… give me a… I don't know, mug of mead?" he asked.

"Rueberry or Ramthistle?" she asked. He looked at Kalihara.

"Rueberry for me" she said quietly as the cubs looked between them.

"Guess I'll try the Rueberry too. Two Rueberries" he finally said with his index and middle finger up on his right hand.

"And the cubs?" she asked.

"We'll have the sa-"

"Don't you finish that sentence you two" the waitress said pointing her finger at them as she narrowed her eyes. Apparently there was an age limit for alcohol.

"If you have any fruit juice…" Kat said meekly as they both scrunched up their shoulders to their head, frowns broadening on their mouths.

"Aight, two fruit juices. I'll bring it all in a jiffy" she said as she disappeared from the table, leaving the group to themselves.

"Pretty gruff around here don't you think?" Bengali asked.

"I get the feeling they've been treated as the lowest of the low by the aristocracy that they can't stand anyone who looks like them. If you look like you have money, you probably do, and more than likely will treat others who don't have it like trash" Kalihara answered.

"We aren't any higher than they are… well, we aren't, you're an angel…" Bengali chuckled out. The lioness rolled her eyes. The waitress came back with two mugs of frothy mead, which Bengali took a swig of slowly. Kalihara sniffed it before taking a sip.

"Not bad, not bad at all" he said as he took another swig.

"Not bad if drunk in moderation" the lioness commented as she set her mug on the table.

"This stuff? This is the light junk" he told her as he took another gulp. She shook her head.

"Too much light junk turns into too strong of a hangover" she grumbled.

"Oh come on, don't tell me you think this stuff can work on a big guy like me do you? I can hold my liquor" he chuckled.

**[One Hour Later]**

**[Music: Flogging Molly – F**k You I'm Drunk]**

"So I says to him… I says to him "Yo buddy, you gotta pay or your girl ain't getting the clock, so you ain't never knowing when she happy cause it never gonna happen!" the blacksmith laughed out as he sat next to four other men at another table, with multiple empty mugs in front of all of them. A deck of cards was sitting in the middle, with tokens and chips in front of each player. The others laughed with him. Kalihara sat with the cubs at the counter watching them as the barkeep cleaned some mugs.

"Your friend there has had enough. Gonna have to cut him off if he gets another" he told her.

"I wish you'd cut him off after the second drink" she muttered as she pushed her black hair back from her face. The cubs had wanted to go back to the ship for some time now as they had finished eating and started to chat with the waitress. Bengali struck up a conversation with another blacksmith at another table, and before they knew it, he was playing poker with the remainder of the tavern.

"Come on Bengali, time to go" the lioness said as she tried to get him up.

"I'm not done yet with winning! I think I just need… I need… three more wins and I can get that wax pack down the street tomorrow" he mumbled out.

"Bengali, we can buy that right now remember?" Kit told him. His eyelids blinked as he thought about it, the gears and hamsters moving in sync in his head, albeit all of the gears greased with alcohol and the hamsters highly intoxicated.

"Oh yeah… hey, Kali, you should play too! Just one game, come on" he goaded as she shook her head.

"Ah come on lass, we'll go easy on you. Besides, he hasn't shown us how to make those gears of his from scratch. You know I have some of the supplies in the back if you wanting be letting me see this newfangled way of turning something clockwork now" the Lyon blacksmith said.

"Not happening. We need to go, thanks for the offer. Bengali…" she said with a smile as she suddenly spoke through her gritted teeth while glaring at the white tiger.

"How bout this… one game, and if you win, we can go" he answered. She sighed as she looked at the cubs.

"One game couldn't hurt you, and they won't give up until you show what a woman can do" the waitress said as she walked by to clean a table. Kalihara stared at the ceiling and shook her head, praying to her goddess to give her strength to not box the white tiger's ears to get him up.

"One game, then we bolt. Lion-o might be back at the ship by now wondering where we are" she said as the sniper flipped around a seat with style and straddled it. "Cards." Everyone threw their cards forward as she collected them.

"Ah lass, you don't have to cut the deck, we won't think you any less if you-" the fat blacksmith started to say but immediately fell silent as she flipped the cards and shuffled them together quickly and efficiently in one hand. Her thumb shot a hand to each player almost as fast, with not one change in the stack as she placed it in the middle.

"School's in session."

**[Meanwhile]**

**[Music: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Serenate No. 6 "Serenata Notturna", K. 239 I. Marcia. Maestoso]**

Lion-o was uneasy as he stood up. It was time for the king to dance, and he had no idea how to do it. He remembered bits and pieces from what his father had told him, holding a woman's hand and putting his other hand on her waist, but that was it. Cheetara stood up and walked to him.

"Take my hand lightly" she whispered. He did as he was told, worried he was making a fool of himself as Tygra took Celica's. They both walked out onto the dance floor as the cheetah came around and put her hand on his shoulder. He was closer to her now than ever.

"Now, walk in a box shape. You lead, I'll follow" she whispered.

"I don't know how to lead…" he whispered back.

"Trust me. Count to four, one for each step as you turn. Keep rotating the box, I'll handle the rest." Lion-o took a deep breath as the music started. Tygra was already moving with Celica fluidly as he started to move in a box, with Cheetara keeping with him. He was so worried he'd step on her feet, but he felt nothing but the floor as they moved. He had to glance downwards, and as he did he noticed her feet were moving in sync with his each time, as if she could see in slow motion his movements and react accordingly to fix any errors he made. Lion-o was astonished that he was doing so well with her, as he started to turn the box in a different direction. She let go of his shoulder and twirled out like a yoyo, before coming back in and continuing the dance. Once the song was over, which seemed to last five minutes, the aristocrats surrounding them clapped in applause. Lion-o was going to bow but fought the instinct away. He was the highest rank in the room, and he wasn't supposed to bow to anyone.

As they headed back to their seats, Lion-o spotted one man walking behind the rest of the crowd, watching them. He slowly slipped through, and to his amazement pulled a flintlock pistol and aimed it. Cheetara noticed it as well.

"Gun!" they both screamed as he fired. Cheetara knocked Lion-o to the ground as the man ran, with both of them slamming into the floor. Their eyes searched for where the bullet had hit, and saw the small hole the lead ball had made in the chair where Duke Philippe was sitting. He was leaning to the right, away from where the round had smashed into the intricate wood. Splinters flew in different directions as the Duke cowered away from the hole.

**[Music: Assassin's Creed Brotherhood – The Brotherhood Escapes]**

"Guards!" he yelled as his daughter ran to him to see if he was alright. Cheetara got up as the man knocked the legs out from under two pikemen at the door, sprinting away down the hallway and running straight through a side door. She bolted after him as he turned a corner and zipped through another room, throwing furniture in her way. Other guards came to try and stop him, but he deftly fought them off like a trained assassin, duel wielding twin arm blades and two daggers at the same time that were somehow hidden under his clothes. His movements were graceful and elegant, with his strikes precise and efficient while he dodged and kept running. She continued after him as he made his way out a servant's door to the outside, and followed him down a narrow path that finally led to the main gates.

"Stop him!" she yelled as the guards tried to block his escape, but he knocked the halberd from one of them and used it to strike the next in the helmet, throwing him to the ground as the assassin continued down the stairs. She tried to use her speed at the moment to catch up to him, but at the last second something amazing happened. He picked up speed as well, as she realized he must have been a cheetah under the cloak and hood. They both dashed down the stairs towards the rest of the city, and as he reached the bottom he veered off to a shop that was just starting to close. She was hot on his heels as he jumped through the closing door, dashing past the shopkeeper as he yelled in protest. She busted through the halfway closed entrance and apologized as she continued after him, with the assassin shooting up the stairs and into the bedroom, scaring the life out of the wife of the owner. She screamed as he jumped through the open window and leapt onto the roof of another building, with Cheetara jumping and flipping to catch up. Her chase took her across four more thatch roofs and brick layering, with the assassin at one point wall running to reach another window.

"Stop!" she yelled as he slid to a halt at the edge of one building roof and looked down. It was a pretty far drop, one that could not be done without him injuring himself. He turned around and looked at her, with just barely enough of his face showing under the hood to confirm what she suspected, that he was a cheetah.

"You have nowhere to go. Surrender" she ordered as she pulled out her staff that she hid in her dress just in case.

"I have nothing to lose. My freedom and those who are not nobility has already been taken" he growled as he pulled his flintlock pistol and fired. She dodged left as she watched where the bullet launched off towards the wall of another building, and before she could return her sight back to the assassin, he had kicked her feet out from below her and sent her sliding. She slammed her staff through the thatch roof to stop her descent, and as her eyes watched him, he seemed almost worried that she would fall.

"Cheetara!" Tygra yelled from further up the street.

"Cheetara?" the assassin said to himself as their eyes met. "No… is it?"

Her eyes stared into his, almost sensing a connection that she had with him, but she couldn't quite place her finger on it as he bolted to the edge of the building and jumped down. Guards ran with Tygra as Lion-o was at his side, with Cheetara slowly pulling herself back up to a stable spot on the roof. The assassin was gone, and with it any chance of trying to gain any information.

**[Meanwhile]**

"Bengali, time to leave" Kalihara said sternly as the waitress had him drink a cup of special tea brewed from an herb that was supposed to mitigate the alcohol in his system. He was almost completely back to his old self within ten minutes of finishing the cup.

"Where do you get that stuff anyways?" he asked as he looked at the cup that the waitress took from his hands.

"Special recipe my Da taught me. It keeps the locals coming here instead of some random other bar. They know they can sneak by with a few drinks and not get an earful from the missus" she chuckled. Bengali shook his head softly as he laughed. He finally stood up as the cubs gave him his jacket, and the group slowly made their way outside.

"That was the quickest win I've ever seen" the barkeep said as he gave the lioness a thumbs up and winked at her.

"That was easy" she replied as they walked out of the tavern.

"Easy? Where'd you learn how to put up such a good poker face?" Bengali asked.

"Not much to do when you're in transit from mission to mission. Our team tended to play cards often enough that they had to cut me out because I'd win all the time. They couldn't read me" she replied as they started to walk down the street.

"That mask of stone you do" he chuckled. She didn't respond as they turned the corner. Just then, a man wearing a grey cloak with a hood limped around a corner further up ahead, with a door opening in a house to the left of the street.

"In here! Quick!" a woman whispered loudly to him as he nodded and slowly made his way inside.

"Search the area!" the four heard as further behind guards were opening doors and checking the streets. Kalihara and Bengali watched with curiosity as they saw each other, the man and woman watching them as guards ran down the street.

"He couldn't have gotten far! He must have hurt himself from that fall! That assassin won't get away! Move it men!" a sergeant barked orders as they just stood there while the door closed to just a crack, with the man's eye watching them.

"You two! Hold it right there!" a guard yelled as they stood their ground.

"What seems to be the problem?" Bengali asked.

"We'll ask the questions around here commoner! Where are you going?" the guard asked as his fellows came up behind him.

The white tiger answered with a hint of annoyance in his voice, his arms crossed over his large chest. "Back to our home" he said as he rocked his jaw a bit, judging the weapons of the small police force in front of him.

"And where is that? Answer us!" the guard snapped.

"That big ship up near the castle pal" the blacksmith growled.

"A likely story! That would mean you know the King. I doubt he'd be able to corroborate what you said."

"Excuse me? You think we're lying?" Kalihara asked in shock as she looked at Bengali.

"I think you four are impeding us from finding an assassin! We know he was just down this street, which means you must have seen something amiss! Tell us or we'll throw you in prison for being out beyond curfew!" the sergeant snapped. Kalihara glanced towards the door again, with the man's eye peeking through the crack wondering if she'd give him away.

"We haven't seen anything" she growled out.

"I don't believe you! Take them into custody!" the sergeant barked as his men came towards them.

"Not happening" Bengali growled as he brought up his elbow and rammed it into the first guard's face, dropping him as he grabbed the pike and butted the back against another's stomach. Kalihara threw up her scout drone which immediately activated its defense systems and fired off two taser shots into two more guards, dropping them twitching to the ground. It immediately started to strobe multiple high powered lights into the guard's eyes, disorienting them and lowering their accuracy significantly as they blindly tried to attack with their halberds. The lioness rolled with one and palm struck him in his jaw, snapping his head back a bit before kneeing him in the stomach. The cubs were busy tripping two more as more guards started running down the street. The lioness leapt over the back of the last and grabbed his head at the same time, slammed her foot into the back of his knees and sent him crumpling to the ground with her arm choking the air from him. Bengali did an uppercut to finish off one of the guards getting back up, sending him rocketing off his feet a good foot before falling to the ground in a heap.

"Time to go find Lion-o and tell him we've outstayed our welcome" Bengali said as the others nodded in agreement.

**[Music: The Piano Guys – Bourne Vivaldi]**

"Over here!" a whisper came from the door as it opened a bit more, with the woman motioning for them to come to her. They each glanced at each other with concern as the guard's voices got louder.

"We just took out a cadre of their police force. I'd rather not find out what their laws require for punishment" Kalihara commented as the white tiger nodded in agreement. The four ran to the door and entered as the door closed behind them, with Lion-o and Tygra both coming in with another guard force, Cheetara just behind them.

"Look, over there" the tiger prince said as he pointed to the group of guards lying on the ground. They ran over to check on the wounded as the woman in the building quickly rushed the four along with the limping man further into the basement, with others helping move some furniture and open a hidden tunnel below.

"Go, we'll close it up behind you" she whispered.

"Thank you" the assassin whispered.

"Freedom and equality for us all young man" she said smiling as he nodded and crouched to enter the tunnel. He was wincing as he headed in, with the four following behind.

"Why are you helping us?" Bengali asked.

"Because you saw how they treat commoners, and you don't look to be from the better part of the city. Whoever you are, you need to lay low for a bit. The fact you fought back means you won't take being pushed around without standing up for yourself, and the enemy of my enemy could be our friend in the rebellion" the man said over his shoulder as he hobbled through the tunnel with them in tow. As they exited the tunnel, the man caught his breath as the others popped out, but before he could continue Kalihara had him pinned to the wall with her sidearm to his chin. He had pulled his own dagger and had it aimed at her stomach.

"What's this about an assassination?" she asked coldly as she flicked the safety. Bengali grabbed his arms and slammed them to the wall, pinning them to the wood and keeping his daggers away from the lioness as the white tiger hovered behind her, his chest pressed against her back as he stopped the cheetah from harming her.

"I'm getting the idea that we were in error of helping you. I hope not" he growled.

"That depends on if it was against a certain King" she replied, her eyes staring daggers at him. Just because he had helped them escape the next wave of soldiers didn't mean he was their friend.

"I don't know what you're talking about, the bullet was meant for Duke Philippe" the man growled out as he kept his neck as far back from the barrel as possible despite the fact she kept it pressed to his fur. Kalihara looked over her shoulder at Bengali.

"Why are you after him?" the blacksmith asked, curiosity in his tone.

"Because he's the reason the people are in this mess to begin with. The oppression must stop. He's treating us like we're nothing but labor. We're tired of being pushed around, and he won't change his ways. We're standing up for ourselves, and trying to get him taken from power" he grunted. The lioness slowly pulled her pistol from his neck as Bengali let go of his arms.

"We've noticed how he treats others. Not exactly the friendliest when it comes to those who aren't close to his stature in society" Kalihara commented.

"Then you know what we're fighting for. We want that changed. The king coming to the city gave me the perfect chance to try and stop him. I failed unfortunately, and with that I failed the people. I'll get another chance eventually, but right now his security must have skyrocketed."

"Who are you?" Bengali asked sternly.

"My name isn't important" he replied as he leaned right, keeping his weight off his left leg.

"It's important to us if we're going to continue talking to you and not think you're just some insane lunatic trying to kill for a cause in your head" Kalihara warned.

"My name is Citrakayah, what's yours?" he said as he rearranged his cloak.

"Bengali, and this fireball is Kalihara." The lioness didn't respond.

"Word of advice Kalihara, don't try and pin me if I'm armed, which I usually am. You'll always have a blade to your stomach" he said as he stared at her.

"If there is a next time, you won't even see where I'm firing from. I'll neutralize you from the city over" she replied quietly as she turned and looked up the staircase leading to the next floor suspiciously. Citrakayah cocked his head in confusion as he looked at Bengali.

"It'd be foolish of you to bring knives to a gun fight with that girl" he answered the look in the cheetah's eyes with a grin.

"Anyways, you two, or should I say you four seem capable enough. It seems fate has drawn us to each other. Might I hazard a guess that you are fighting the Duke's tyranny as well?" Citrakayah asked.

"Your guess is wrong. We're friends with Lion-o, Lord of the Thunder Cats" Bengali replied as he came over to see what Kalihara was looking at. The doors that were at the top of the stairs led out into darkness it seemed.

"The king? Does that mean… what trickery is this then?" he asked as he looked confused.

"Trickery? Look pal, I don't know what you're thinking, but none of us knew about this oppression until we came to this city. If we did, Lion-o's father might have done something about it before Thundera fell. Considering what his son has to worry about now with the touchy feely princess and her father, you can bet he is going to have some problems with fixing this for you without a fight" the white tiger explained. Kalihara walked up the steps carefully as she slowly pushed open the double doors to a dusty dark house with a staircase descending in the same direction as they came up from the cellar.

"Then there really is no choice but to start the revolution" the cheetah sighed out. Both of them looked behind at him as the cubs kept near Bengali.

"Revolution? Against their magic and trained soldiers? You wouldn't last a day" Bengali replied.

"Better to die free than to live as a slave" Kalihara said as she looked up the stairs leading to the second floor. The house looked like it hadn't been lived in for years.

"Then you understand" the young cheetah said as he stepped past Bengali.

"What I understand is you have no resources from what I can see that permit you to overthrow a tyrannical leader beyond a noble goal. Weapons, food, medical supplies, tactical plans, political plans and goals, escape routes, emergency escape routes, emergency supply caches, troops… or at least a militia willing to take up arms to act as troops. I'm not seeing any of these while you talk" she said calmly. A small smile grew on his face.

"I feel I can trust all of you, so I'll show you what we do have" he chuckled. The four of them looked at each other.

"Why do I get the feeling he doesn't have everything planned out?" Kit said as she looked up at the lioness and blinked.

"I don't think any of us had this planned out. Let's see where this rabbit hole leads."

**(Author's Note: So I got new info from my friend who has now said the chemo has been doing its job, and so apparently the days she needs to go for treatment has become wider in scheduling (two weeks now). This means I have more open space to actually play with ideas instead of trying to rush them out. I'll be trying to put a chapter out once a week, but if not then it will be biweekly for the most part.)**


	9. Revolution Part 2

**Episode 35: Revolution Part 2**

Five figures moved through the shadows between homes and shops as they made their way down alleys and streets, staying away from police or guards still moving about. At one point they had to hug a wall as two guards passed by, getting ready to ambush if the policing force even sneezed wrong. Once they were far enough away from the patrols, all of them slipped down into the slums where the crime was thickest. No one bothered them as they entered a small house.

"So what is it that you're going to show… us…" Bengali started to say as he cut himself off. The house was incredibly tiny, with a bed, a fireplace and a few shelves along with two dressers as a bookshelf. Citrakayah limped to the bookshelf and pulled on a book, with the others expecting it to act as a lever to some hidden underground bunker. The cheetah pulled the book out and smirked as he looked at them, and then took it to the mantle of the fireplace and placed it flat on the right corner after pulling a small vial from inside the pages and downing its contents. His wounded leg seemed to heal itself slowly as he no longer hopped on one foot. A click was heard as the fireplace slowly lowered into the ground, with a cobblestone staircase popping into place in a spiral pattern. The opening was cramped, barely able to let Bengali squeeze through as the group headed down. Once they reached the bottom, they were greeted with multiple men all aiming muskets at them, wondering why the assassin suddenly had friends.

"Easy. They're help" Citrakayah told them as they eyed the newcomers suspiciously. They slowly lowered their weapons as a small fire was set under a pot, with other weapons strewn about. Cots were lining the walls as hundreds of other people were sleeping in them or talking amongst themselves.

"Are all these revolutionaries?" Bengali asked.

"Of course not. If they were, we'd have already risen up against the aristocrats. Most of these people don't have homes anymore, and don't dare to go onto the streets to beg, or they'd be set upon by family pets of the higher ups. This is what those who are poor look forward to in this city" the assassin replied as he gestured with an upturned hand towards the scene. As they walked past the line of cots with others moving to and fro, their eyes glued to the two adults and two cubs passing them, as they all heard the rumbling up above.

"We're under a street aren't we" Kalihara stated as she looked up.

"They think there is a sewer running along this path. We deviated it around through a spare tunnel, courtesy of a civil engineer who is in the same boat as the rest of these people." The cheetah led them around a corner and into another tunnel, heading south quickly until he reached a door that had thirty locks. He banged on the metal door waiting for a response. The slot at eye level opened up with a pair of green eyes showing behind.

"Viva la Revolution" Citrakayah said as he pulled back his hood. The others were in shock as he looked, for all intents and purposes, like a male version of Cheetara. His eye markings were the exact same as the cheetah in their group, except he had far fluffier fur than she did, and was much larger with dark markings on his neck fur. The slot closed up as the locks unlatched one by one quickly, until the large slab of metal slowly swung open on creaky hinges. As they headed through the entrance, with the door closing right behind them, they observed the room was circular, with a large bonfire sitting in the middle. Surrounding the bonfire pit was a circular table with only a few chairs strewn about. Tables were attached to the walls by chains with an assortment of potions, weapons and clothing. An array of maps was spread out on the donut table with two others reading them before looking up at the people the assassin brought in.

"My friends, I bring assistance in our time of need. They've already shown they have no love for the oppression that our people have suffered, as it was nearly brought upon them only a short time ago. We are in luck, for they are friends of King Lion-o" Citrakayah said as he turned and motioned for them to gather around.

"Citrakayah, you brought servants of the king here? Are you daft?" one, a female panther growled at him as she glared at Kalihara.

"He doesn't know anything about what's going on in this city, or his father would have put a stop to this long ago" the lioness said, hoping she was right. She had no idea who his father was, and frankly didn't care. She did know that Lion-o would never stand for any of this if he was told what was going on, or at least she hoped he wouldn't.

"So… he can stop the Duke from choking all life out of the lower caste then" a male leopard said behind them.

"That's… a little more difficult" Kalihara hesitated as she looked at Bengali. They explained that Thundera had fallen, and that what few forces were available, namely Lynx-o's company, were the only thing that Lion-o really had under his command.

"So a King without an army… surprised he was welcome with open arms by those aristocrats…" the panther grumbled as she crossed her arms over her chest and snorted.

"The Duke's daughter has a thing for him. Apparently they were to be-" Bengali started to say as Kalihara elbowed him in the side.

"Apparently they were to have unconcluded discussions about important matters that never took place. Now, what exactly is going on here?" the lioness interrupted as she gave Bengali a cold glare, telling him with her eyes to shut up. He sensed something behind that cold glare, something he couldn't quite place, and it was meant for Lion-o. Citrakayah explained how everything had started, how a long time ago the aristocrats started to tax the lower and middle classes heavily, and how the laws started to make it easier for the rich to get richer and the poorer to get poorer. It wasn't always like that, however, as before Duke Phillip was around, the city was ruled by the husband of Claire, Celica's grandmother.

"When he died, he wanted to make sure that Duchess Marie was married so that there wouldn't be a fight for control among the aristocrats. One man, Phillip, wooed her with his own plan being set in motion. He doesn't care about the people. He cares about his own wellbeing, and maybe his daughter's."

"Where is her mother, Celica's?" Kalihara asked as she surveyed the surroundings.

"Dead. She died close to Celica's tenth birthday. She was the only thing that tempered Duke Phillip's wrath against the commoner. Now… he's left unchecked, and had been training his own daughter to take his own ideals and attitude towards those below her. She was greatly missed, as was her father when he was ruler of this city. Everything has gone to heck in a hand basket since then" Citrakayah told her.

"You remember her? You don't exactly look that old" Bengali scoffed.

"I was here, back when she was alive. I traveled here after… well, after my original home was destroyed. I thought everyone was killed, but apparently some escaped. You say you are friends of the king… do you know of the Cheetah that is among the rest?" he asked.

"Cheetara, you know her?" Bengali asked.

"So she is alive… thank the stars… yes, yes I do." The cheetah walked to the donut table and leaned over it, staring at the bonfire in the middle as his he tapped his index finger's claw on a map as he relived old memories.

"She is my younger sister. I thought she was dead, along with the rest of our family. She must have set off towards Thundera then."

"So you're her older brother… why didn't you go after her? Head to Thundera yourself?" Bengali asked.

"Something must have stopped him" Kalihara noted as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Something, or someone. A traveling group of trained assassins found me, wandering through the dark. I begged for help, and was told there was no assistance given to those who didn't accept the price given to them as payment for the help. I asked again, and they… offered me a chance to start a new life with them." The cheetah turned around and looked at the four newcomers, with the cubs staring at him.

"You joined an assassin's guild" the lioness stated.

"Correct, I am a member of the Third Eye, and we are spread among the lands offering our services. Our rules are simple, though one stands out. That which tapers off business and fruition of people around us, the economy of the cities we live in and provide our services. Our particular skill set to assist is rather specialized. If it becomes a stopping point for the economy, we even do our best to tip that balance."

"So you're helping these people to benefit yourself, not them" Bengali grunted.

"I apologize, I must be making it sound more complicated than it actually is. In more simple terms, we fight from the shadows and surgically strike at those who would cause pain and problems for a city. We do not offer our services to those who would continue to blunt our own benefits. Our benefits come from the people continuing to thrive, as we are usually paid tribute by under the table exchanges." Bengali growled as he glared at the cheetah.

"So you muscle people to pay for protection money?" he asked annoyed.

"Again, you are wrong. The system has been in effect for a very long time, and no one is muscled. The taxes paid to the city guard, the police and fire departments; do you think all of that goes to them or to the ruling officials? Some of that slips through the cracks from tax accountants, who are told behind the scenes that we are there, and we are watching to make sure nothing unfortunate happens with that money towards the continued production of the city. We provide… leverage, in a way that a warrior or ruler cannot work with."

"Bengali, he's speaking the way he knows to explain what they are, which probably isn't working too well with your brain. He's saying they are assassins and yet aren't. Think of them as shadow guards. They don't charge at you to take you out, they slip into your home and slit your throat to make sure you don't starve the commoners or pillage any caravans if you're a bandit" Kalihara explained to the white tiger.

"Yes, what she said. The Assassins of The Third Eye live by a code, one that is ingrained into us by our training. It's why the people here seem to think I'm a hero. I've done some… work for this city before, though how the people found out about my connection to those events is unknown, however ultimately irrelevant" Citrakayah told them, a smirk curling onto his mouth as his eyes gleamed.

"So? What's going to happen?" Bengali asked.

"We've been planning for some time. A revolution must happen, to rise up and knock the nobles and aristocracy from its pedestal and regain a government that benefits its people… all of them" the cheetah responded as he gestured towards the maps on the table. Kalihara walked over and started looking through the sheets that had piled up.

"We've been preparing little by little" he told her.

"Not well enough. Is this the file list of accrued supplies?" the lioness asked. He nodded in acknowledgement.

"Think it's any good?" the white tiger asked over her shoulder. She looked up at him and blinked, her eyes moving to Citrakayah as a small sigh escaped her mouth.

"No, it really isn't. Swords and daggers, shields, less than two dozen flintlock pistols and rifles? Food to last a month, and three hundred men?" the cheetah looked away from her, feeling a bit put on the spot.

"Planning a revolution isn't exactly my forte. We assassins tend to work alone or in very small groups. I'm doing the best I can with what is available" he replied.

"I'm not saying you aren't, but this… this won't last. Food disappears fast in a combat zone, especially if civilians are caught in the aftermath" she told him.

"None of the city population is to be brought into this that doesn't volunteer!" he snapped back, worry tainting his voice.

"That's not how civil wars work. Just because you shoot at one of the city guard beating on someone doesn't mean that bullet is going to hit. The chances of collateral damage happens every time you fight in an urban environment. People die or get wounded even if you don't expect them to. Ricochets, penetrating shots through walls, scared people running into your line of fire, and for all you know the aristocrats might use their servants as living shields to escape. You need to plan a lot better than this. You need a hell of a lot more than just this list" she told him sternly.

"You seem to know quite a bit about this" the cheetah replied quietly. Her eyes left his face as she looked into the bonfire, remembering memories from her past.

"The enemy will do whatever they need to do to break your resolve. They won't care about you, they won't care about who is with you, they care about winning. If it stops you, then they win, which means anything can and will be fair game to those who think we are beneath them."

"I think she's got it more than the rest of us combined" the panther whispered to the leopard.

"She understands" he replied back.

"Do any of you even have a plan to rebuild your government once this one is torn down? This isn't some temper tantrum you can throw and expect everything to be better once it's over. Once you've torn the old one down, you have to put something up in its place or everything will fall into anarchy" the lioness snapped at everyone.

"We've thought carefully, and many laws have been put together to fix this. We're trusting you, have a little faith in us" the cheetah told her quietly.

"The question is how are you going to overthrow a government that has a fair amount of magic and military support at its disposal… we're looking at fireball slinging, armor wearing musket carrying soldiers here, against a rag tag militia. You're going to have to even the odds, by a large margin" she told them.

"What would you suggest?" Citrakayah asked, a gleam in his eyes as he watched her. She stared at the maps and lists with extreme scrutiny, checking for anything that could be improved upon.

"They have magic correct? Do we have magic?" she asked.

"Very little, a few hedge wizards who have kept in the shadows and hidden their abilities, or they'd be sent to the tower college for training. I myself can do simple magics as well."

"That's not enough. Where are the wizards now?"

"Performing minor incantations to the weapons" he replied. Kalihara huffed.

"Frack that! Tell them to knock it off. How many engineers, blacksmiths and other craftsmen are with us?" she asked. The panther handed her a list.

"Three blacksmiths, two engineers… they aren't civil are they?" she asked. The panther shook her head. The lioness gave a slight nod of her head as if an idea was building in her mind.

"Bengali, think you can work with the others to make some new weapons and armor? Light and ranged, a slugging match is not what we're aiming for. Guerilla tactics is the key here until we can get more people" she asked as she turned around and looked at the white tiger.

"So we're really gonna do this? We're really gonna… we're really gonna be in this revolution?" he asked with a hesitant smirk.

"We've been in this revolution since we got here Bengali. Time to stand up and be counted" she replied. Citrakayah gave a small chuckle.

"Maybe I should turn over the reins of leadership of this entire thing to you lioness. You know a lot more about how to do this than I do" the cheetah told her.

"I'm just helping, don't expect me to give all the orders, these are suggestions. Once this is over, I'm still in the King's employ" she replied.

"Suggestions that I'd follow ma'am. This sounds like it would work" the leopard spoke up, and the panther agreed.

"This is all nuts, and I don't expect any of you to follow me, follow Citrakayah in doing any of this. It'll be better that way. Some of my ideas may not work for this city. He knows it better than I do."

"And I just may follow what you say in these matters Miss Kalihara" he replied, the smirk turned into a grin.

"Alright… fine… Bengali, get with the blacksmiths… how quickly can you smelt all those swords and daggers and shields down?" she asked.

"About a day maybe, with help. What'd you have in mind?" the white tiger asked, a smile on his lips as he could see the gears in her head turning faster than the Feliner could fly. He liked seeing her building a plan from nothing. It was incredibly attractive.

"I have an idea."

**[Meanwhile]**

"Your majesty, they are not in the castle either" a wizard said as he bowed to Lion-o.

"Where the hell did they go? I hope they're alright…" he said to himself as he glanced at Tygra.

"Maybe they're just hanging around in the city somewhere, they can take care of themselves" his brother replied.

"Maybe they are mingling with the commoners as we were with the nobility" Celica said from Lion-o's side.

"Considering how they've been treated, they probably did go somewhere in the city to get away from this…" Lion-o growled as he looked at the ground.

"Your majesty, they are your servants, they should be-" Duke Phillip tried to coerce the young king.

"They are my friends! They follow me because they expect me to lead, and I do my best! They are not servants! Especially not Kalihara! She's… she's…" he snapped at the Duke with his hand curled up into a fist, raised in an imposing move in front of his chest. The anger dissipated as the worry overwhelmed the previous emotion, wondering where she was.

"Sir! One of the guards has awoken from being beaten in the city! He gives news that a group of four had attacked them and was helping the assassin escape. They said that they were a part of the king's envoy" a musket man reported as he bowed to the group.

"That can't be… they wouldn't…" Tygra muttered in shock as the others looked around at each other.

"There's no way! They must have done something to provoke the rest of my friends! There has to be some mistake!" Lion-o yelled. He just remembered the communicator in his ear, and tried to hail the lioness or the white tiger. Nothing but static. He was worried that the magic from the city was completely jamming their only way to communicate.

"A white tiger and a lioness with two cubs your majesty, the wizards they… they believe they may be helping the assassin try again" the man told them hesitantly.

"Incompetence!" the Duke snapped as he backhanded the soldier, sending him falling back and holding his face as the man stormed by. He stopped ten feet away and turned around. Cheetara helped the man up, who thanked her gladly.

"Double the guards! Search the city! Find them and bring them here!" he ordered. The soldier nodded and ran out of the room.

"Don't you dare attack them!" Lion-o roared at him. Celica put her hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down.

"Your majesty, they may hold ill will towards you now that they are in civilization. They could have harbored emotions against you from the start considering your noble heritage. Or, perhaps, they could be under some coercing, some spell controlling them. It is possible" the Duke told him with a grand gesture and sweep of his hands.

"Impossible, there's no way! How dare you think they'd turn on me like that!... it must be some spell… whiskers… I shouldn't have let them go into the city by themselves… especially here…" the lion king growled out. He felt so helpless as he had no idea where they had gone, or even if they were alright. They were somewhere in the city.

"I will have the guard bring them unharmed your majesty. Perhaps my wizards can reverse the spell, though it may take time. They could become hostile, so you must be prepared just in case" the Duke told him with a grin on his face.

"My father will do everything he can to fix this Lion-o, do not worry. Come with me, I know of a place to get your mind off of this. Come, this way" Celica cooed to him as she tried to lead the young king towards a waiting door. Lion-o didn't have anything better to do besides run into the city and start searching each building he could get through the door of, and so he resigned himself to following the princess down a set of passages and out into a large garden. They both sat down on a marble bench as a servant brought them some water in crystal glasses.

"You must be tired after the ball. Don't worry, everything will be fine. A King should not think so hard on these things. Let the guards do their duty, they will work hard to bring your friends here, I know it" she told him softly as she ran her fingers in small massaging circles on his back through his dress shirt. For him it was softly soothing, but it didn't take his mind off the fact that four of his friends were lost somewhere in the city, and might be under control of some sorcerer or wizard gone rogue.

"I thought all the wizards here went to the college?" he asked.

"Some try to hide what they are, and keep in the less finer parts of the city to escape notice. They are of no problem for our well trained college wizards, I assure you. Once they are brought back, the people responsible will be destroyed for harming your friends, and the spell will be removed if it is there. But Lion-o, my dear, you should keep in mind that maybe… just maybe, they may in fact not care about you as much as you think they do" Celica cooed to him. He looked at her in confusion, but the idea that she had implanted into his mind started to already gnaw at him. Could they really turn on him now that they were in a civilized cat city? Would Kalihara do that? She was so willing to jump out of the ship at a moment's notice if Tygra couldn't land it carefully.

"Here, drink some water, you will feel better" she suggested as he complied and took a few sips. The champagne that he had downed in one gulp during the ball had worked on him quickly, as they continued to bring him more. He found that the alcohol seemed to help with the aftershock once they had gone back to the castle after chasing the assassin. Cheetara had told him that he was a cheetah under the hood, and that strangely she felt she knew him.

"Better?" she asked as he nodded slightly, but quickly drank the whole glass. He was thirsty, and a little wobbly as he tried to keep his eyes open.

"You must have drunk too much my dear Lion-o, oh, you should lie down. Let's get you to your room my king. Rest will help with everything" she cooed as she motioned for two servants to follow them, helping where necessary as he was brought up to his room and provided pajamas in royal blue colors. The clothing felt nice on his fur as he was helped in changing to them by the princess. His mind felt foggy as he didn't seem to grasp the idea that she was seeing him practically nude as she helped him into bed. Before he closed his eyes, with tiredness overwhelming him, he faintly remembered hearing "goodnight Lion-o" from Celica, and the feeling of a head resting on his shoulder.

**[Morning]**

"Don't tell me you stayed up all night doing this for me" Kalihara said as she handed a cup of coffee to Bengali. He sniffed it, woke up quickly and slowly drank the hot liquid down.

"You needed it done, and what you said last night really got everyone moving. You're a natural leader" he replied as he took his feet off the table he was resting them, the front two legs of the chair he was sitting in coming back down. Every sword and dagger was melted down and broken into their constituent parts, with the shields turned into bricks of metal or slabs of wood.

"I thought you said a day with help. I don't see the other blacksmiths here, and you still look tired. Did you sleep here after finishing this?" she asked as she looked at the huge hearth fire set in the wall, with a large anvil set in the corner and a large water trough set into the wall next to the hearth. Running water continued through it, built by another carpenter and blacksmith. A hand pump for more water was near the table in the southeast corner, with a giant pillar standing in the middle of the room. Tools were hanging on the walls and on another rectangular table, with bricks of metals and leather piled along with wood and coal.

"Couldn't rely on them to do it at this time of night. Let them sleep, they probably barely knew about the new plan. So, now that this stuff is scrapped, what do you want me to make with this?" he asked as he yawned.

"A repeating weapon… specifically a lever action rifle" she told him. He raised an eyebrow at her as he muddled the idea over in his head.

"Firing multiple rounds?... do you have a blueprint I could work off of?" He asked.

"No, but hopefully I can get one of the engineers to draw one up later today. I already told Citrakayah about the idea, and he thinks it can give us the edge over the breech muskets the guards have."

"The engineer is already here." They both looked at the door as the cheetah walked in with a brown tabby in a linen shirt. He was wearing a pair of spectacles with a long pocketed black overcoat.

"I believe I have just the thing to do this, and I've even worked out how the reloading should work." The tabby put a rolled up paper on the table and brought a lantern over. As he unrolled the blueprint, everyone was in shock.

"This is… you figured out how to make rimfire cartridges?" she asked as she turned her head at him.

"I had been playing with this design for a while; call it my hobby if you will. I help build the city, but I much more prefer new technology to give superior chances for stopping the corruption that has been taking over our city. I have some other plans if you wish. Here" the tabby said as he put down another scroll, this one with a lever action pistol.

"Right, of course… reloading takes some time, but with a sidearm our troops can quickly swap to something to defend themselves with until they have time to fall back and put more ammunition into their rifles. Bengali, can you and the others make these?" she asked.

"This? Well… this should be easy compared to the clocks I used to make. How many do we need?" he asked.

"At least one thousand of each" she replied. Bengali gawked at her.

"You're insane, there's no way! How much time to make all of it?" he asked.

"How long do you need?" The white tiger looked at each person in the room, blinking as he thought carefully.

"At least a few weeks, maybe more, and that's working nonstop of course" he told her. She sighed and looked away.

"Maybe we can shorten that" Citrakayah spoke up as he looked between them.

"What'd you have in mind?" she asked.

"A duplication spell. It's highly advanced, and only taught in the colleges, but takes very little in the means of essence. I learned it from my training, in the event I lost one of my own weapons. I could teach the other wizards if you wish, and if he can produce at least one of each, we can make far more in a very short period of time" he explained. The lioness looked at Bengali.

"Who'd have thought it that magic could do that" he replied to her look.

"I've never seen that happen either, but then magic pretty much stopped existing back on Thundera when technology became prevalent" she replied as she looked at the cheetah.

"Alright, that covers the long range, but how do we handle the close combat?" the tabby asked as he pushed his glasses up his nose.

"Flip out bayonet, and a combat knife" Kalihara stated.

"Flip out… that's… that could work! Yes, and it won't lower the accuracy of the rifle! Ingenious!" the tabby laughed as he quickly grabbed a quill from a pouch and pulled out an inkwell. He started to draw out a hastily made flip out bayonet onto the rifle with an arrow arching towards the front of the barrel.

"I have an idea for close combat" Kalihara said as everyone looked at her. She asked for a blank piece of parchment to write on, and the tabby quickly complied. She grabbed the quill and began to draw a tomahawk.

"That's… that's not a dagger… wait a minute…" Bengali said as she continued drawing. She wasn't the best artist, just trying to get the points showing as she made sure the back of the tomahawk head was pointed, and the handle itself came apart with a lock twist attachment at the middle of the handle, and what became of the handle… turned into an angled combat knife.

"There's enough of the handle to continue with using the tomahawk and the knife, or if the axe gets lodged in something, you can still protect yourself. Workable?" she asked.

"You thought this up?" Bengali asked her amazed.

"It's been in my head for a little while, though I have no idea how to actually make it. I'm not the blacksmith, you are. I just shoot things" she replied.

"This could work. Yeah, I can have all three of these done by tomorrow maybe. Wait, what about armor?" he asked.

"I've got another blacksmith coming to work on that" Citrakayah told him.

"Blacksmith? No no, that won't work. Hard armor will slow us down. The militia needs to be quick to hide away, and be able to wear the armor under their clothes to keep under the radar. Any tailors?" the lioness asked.

"Under the… radar? Uh… well, there are a few who are with our cause… let me ask some of them. What did you have in mind?" the cheetah asked with curiosity seeping from his eyes. He was wondering what she was thinking.

"I wonder if they might be able to make some form of Kevlar… well, mixed with something else. Can the wizards, and yourself, make anything magnetic… say, some sort of power crystal or block or whatever, something that can be turned on an off?" she asked.

"Of course, that's child's play and the first thing to tell if you can in fact use magic. Why?" Citrakayah asked.

"If the tailors can make the threaded iron wool over padding and put a thin layer of oil and iron filings in square patches above it, if you put the crystal in the clothing, and when the time comes to fight turn the crystal on… the iron filings turn rigid in the armor, providing-" she started to explain.

"More protection than the armor the guards are wearing, and lighter as well. That's… incredible. I thought you didn't know how to make this?" the cheetah asked, amused that she had come up with the idea.

"I don't; it's just basic information for old tech I used to have before I had my suit. Smart Fluid it's called. I still don't know how to apply that to the armor though. I'd assume another circulation system could be built into the clothing due to body heat but…" Kalihara explained as she looked at the papers on the table.

"Thermal circulation fluid? With the viscosity of oil… I have something just like that. A friend of mine works on expanding the sewage systems, and uses it to unblock passages. Heats up from the sun and the heat radiates into the ground, breaks up the sewage and makes it flow. I'd assume it would do the same in the armor simply by being near the person's fur" the tabby suggested.

"Alright, once we have all of this, we need to train everyone in the use of it. We are not going in guns blazing, that's asking for death. We need food and medical supplies to add onto this. Can the wizards help in duplicating that as well?" the lioness asked the assassin. He nodded.

"Provided most of it can be kept well. Dry foods we can save for a while, but any meats unless they are salted, or vegetables, may go bad" he answered.

"That won't be necessary, only dried foods for now. No one should know who belongs to this anyways, so everyone should be able to go back to their families at the end of the day. Now, let's get tactical. I need to get my gear from the ship before we start anything."

"That may be difficult. Take a look." Citrakayah handed her a rolled up wanted poster of Bengali's face and hers, along with the cubs in smaller squares below them.

"Great! We're wanted criminals now! Is there a price on our heads?" Bengali asked.

"A reward of fifty thousand platinum to those who turn you in."

"Wonderful" he chuckled.

"No one will do it. They know you are fighting now against this. All it has done is made you a face for the revolution" the cheetah chuckled.

"And that means if we try and go to the Feliner… we might be shot at while going up the stairs…" Kalihara sighed.

"Didn't you say you've worked without your equipment before Kali?" the white tiger asked.

"Yes. This just complicates things. Guess I'm making do."

**[Meanwhile]**

Lion-o woke up with a massive headache as he covered his eyes with his hand and tried to peek through the cracks in his fingers. The champagne hit him hard, with a hangover he had never felt before. As he tried to get up, he felt a weight on his shoulder, and something draped over his chest. He picked up the sheets and found that the weight on his shoulder was Celica's head, and her arm laying just below his sternum. Her eyes fluttered open as she looked at him dreamily.

"Uh…" he mumbled as he quickly looked under the sheets again worriedly. He was wearing pajamas, and she was wearing a long white silk nightie. She smiled at him as he tensed up slightly.

"Did you sleep well my darling?" she asked.

"Uh… why are you in my bed?" he asked as he sat up and looked at her.

"You don't want me here?" she asked, wondering if he was joking.

"Look… Celica… I really should talk to you… I must be doing…" he started to say as his mind wandered to Cheetara. He now knew what she might have gone through. Maybe she didn't give him mixed signals on purpose. He just misconstrued her actions as liking him, though she was just trying to show support. He was doing the exact same thing to Celica.

"Celica, I think I've been giving you the wrong idea, and I apologize for doing so. You see… the woman lost in your city, I really like her, a lot as a matter of fact, and… even though she's not quite sure how to respond to me, I'm hoping that… grrr… how do I say this…" he started to explain, but he was getting frustrated at his inability to articulate what he was feeling.

"That she may return those feelings? But Lion-o… what if she does not? I feel for you right now, why wait for someone who is not showing interest in you? Lion-o, my dear sweet Lion-o, I care."

"But, my heart belongs to her, and that's what I'm trying to say. I don't see you as… ugh…" he stopped halfway, trying to find the words.

"If I won your heart from her, I do not think this will be a problem. I know you are worried, about trying to renew the arranged marriage, but I am asking you, just give us a chance."

"Celica, I don't really know much about you. We've barely known each other for three days!" he exclaimed as he gestured to the room.

"Do you know the lioness well?" she asked.

"Well, no… she's a little secretive with her past… and she's only been around for about three weeks…" he replied as he looked at the sheets.

"Then we are both on the same playing field no? A chance is all I am asking for. You are not giving it to me" she pouted. He looked at her as she blinked up at him, her lip curled slightly into a frown.

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to… well… I guess a chance is… alright… I mean, to learn about each other. Please, don't sleep in my bed anymore unless I invite you… yeah…" he stuttered out. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek in response, giggled, and slipped out of his bed.

"I'll have breakfast brought to this room again. I'll prove you want to be with me more than her" she said over her shoulder with a smile.

"Great…" Lion-o grumbled as he slapped his hand over his forehead and rubbed it all the way down to his chin. He took a deep breath as he swung his legs out from under the covers, hoping there was some good news about his friends in the city.

**[Noon]**

"Here, try this" Bengali said as he pushed a rifle into Kalihara's hands. She looked at it with a confused look on her face as she glanced up at him.

"You finished it already?" she asked.

"Apparently I got the wax pack from the store for free after they found out it would help with this. Check it out" he chuckled. She looked down the sights and aimed it at a nearby pot.

"Sights are off a bit, but it looks good" she replied as she ratcheted the lever, hearing the gears click inside as it put a round that wasn't there into the position to fire.

"Cartridges?" she asked. He handed her a handful.

"Courtesy of the hedge foundation" he laughed out.

"Those guys work fast" she said with her eyes wide for a moment. She had never seen such production before. She was used to her nanites in her glove building things in a few hours, but she hadn't seen normal people make things so quickly without a purpose to fuel them. She slid a cartridge into the rifle, and then another and another, until six rounds were inside.

"It's the most I could make them carry. I was thinking of adding a magazine to it, but it would take some effort to rework the barrel" he explained as he pointed at the underside.

"No no, it's fine, really. Six is more than one that the guards can fire, plus how many do you think the pistols can hold? Three? Four?" she questioned.

"About four. That's ten shots per person, and then reloading is quicker with the cartridges. We may have the edge in superior firepower, but not in manpower, and they still have those college wizards with them."

"Let's hope it never comes down to even firing a shot" she replied quietly as she surveyed the weapon.

"You don't intend on firing?" he asked in a confused tone.

"If we do this right, and with what I have planned, we can put an end to this without anyone getting hurt" she told him.

"Now this I've got to see." They were both interrupted as a female calico walked in and cleared her throat. They looked over at her as she smiled.

"It's finished. I think I've got the weave just right, and it should be light enough to wear under normal clothes with little bulk. I did just as you asked miss, we put the pouches filled with oil and iron filings in front. Viva la Revolution" she told them as another calico, most likely her sister, came in holding a bulky padded shirt with similar sleeves attached. There was a pair of pants and a midriff cover that matched. It all looked like some very bland looking superhero costume with padding to make muscles look bigger, but none of it provided increased strength or speed. It was there to stop bullets from punching through, or stab wounds.

"Looks like it will work" the lioness said as her eyes scanned the suit. It was nowhere near as advanced as her armor, but it would definitely protect against the weapons the guards were using, and could be worn under other clothes. Each piece was a sand color, with no dye added to keep the lining inside the pouches from breaking apart, allowing the oil to seep through and compromising the defenses.

"Not exactly what you're used to is it?" the white tiger chuckled.

"Shut up" she muttered and rolled her eyes as she took the pieces of armor and walked out of the room.

"Wait, you're going to test it?" the blacksmith asked.

"Well duh. No reason to duplicate any of this if it doesn't do what we need it to do. For all I know, we could have just had these women make this for no reason." She walked out as he followed quickly, and went to a mannequin carrying an array of leather and iron banded armor. Kalihara quickly stripped the mannequin of all the plating and leather and replaced it with the new suit the tailors had just made.

"Crystal is installed right?" she asked.

"Yes miss, though I have no idea how it should work. I just put in in a pouch on the back near the neck as the leader wished" one of the calicos responded.

"Leader?" the lioness asked.

"Yes, um, Citrakayah, you know him?" the two women asked.

"Yeah, we're working with him. Dang he's quick to get that stuff made" Bengali said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Oh! One more thing, he said the crystal will… um… activate on its own if it senses, what was it, any hostility towards the carrier?" the woman told Kalihara in confusion.

"Meaning we don't have to turn it on or off… it's got a built in fire finder" Kalihara said in awe as she looked at Bengali and blinked.

"That's good right?" he asked.

"Considering even I don't have that in my armor, yeah, it's very good" she replied.

"Wait, your super advanced suit can't defend you without you knowing if someone is attacking?" he asked in disbelief.

"It isn't that it isn't capable, it's just that the capacitors to flux the magnets that fast would put too much strain on them if used consistently in a battlefield. I'm a sniper, I'm not supposed to be seen, and therefore the enemy isn't supposed to be able to attack me" she replied.

"Huh." The calicos bowed to her and left her to her testing as they returned down the small tunnel. The lioness picked up the lever action rifle and ratcheted the lever.

"Didn't you say the sights were off and would throw the accuracy a lot?" Bengali interrupted.

"Just because I said that doesn't mean I can't adapt to firing it." Kalihara stared down the iron sights and aimed carefully, closing her left eye. From what he was seeing, she was off target by an inch.

"Uh, wait, you-" he tried to say, but she fired. The round left the barrel and sailed through the air, slamming into the chest of the mannequin with the armor in place. Multiple men came running down the tunnel, looking for anything that was hostile.

"False alarm, just testing the new armor, go back to whatever it was you were doing" the white tiger told them as he waved his arms around to stop them from advancing. They all looked at each other as if wondering what they were talking about, before heading back down the tunnel and around the corner.

"Did it work?" he asked. She walked up to the mannequin and pulled the bullet from the armor, stuck only a half inch in.

"So it didn't work" he answered his own question.

"No, it did. Never expect armor to make attacks bounce off. That's fairytale stuff, and completely illogical. Take a look at shields. They aren't meant to be invincible, they're meant to deflect a good deal of force that would have otherwise killed you. It might hurt, but at least you're feeling pain compared to nothing at all and lying dead in a pool of your own blood" she replied as she looked at the bullet.

"We've got conical bullets to boot. Much more effective than the lead balls they're firing."

"So, fix the sights, get more made, get the pistol ready, get more made, fix that patch on the armor, get more made… then what?" Bengali asked.

"Remember what I said about this whole revolution? About finishing this without a shot fired?" she asked. He nodded in response.

"They have the manpower, and there is no way we can match that. So… I wonder what the guards would do if they knew their families are being bullied by the people who are supposed to improve their lives in this city?"

**[Meanwhile]**

Lion-o walked into the Feliner without Celica following him around. Luckily, she was off being tailored a dress for her voluptuous body, leaving him to his own devices. Panthro and Lynx-o were off chatting about his company of soldiers still in the barracks and seeing some of the younger forces, while Tygra and Cheetara spent their time together.

As the young king entered the ship and slowly walked through the hatchway into the living quarters, he heard a bit of scratching coming from Kalihara's room.

"Kalihara?" he asked as he immediately opened the door. She wasn't inside, but what he saw was Bahati looking up at him after he hopped back a few feet, sizing the lion up. He let out a soft chortle, wondering if he was there to eat him or if he was there to feed the little bird.

"It's just you…" he sighed out as he looked at the Quekan. Bahati cocked his head sideways and blinked, letting out a little chirp as if asking where his owner was.

"I guess… she's not exactly going to be here to feed you. Um, let me see if I can get some fruit cut up for you" he said as he walked towards the kitchen, the little bird hopping behind him by a good ten feet. Despite the young king willing to feed him, the bird still didn't really trust the lion. He went into the kitchen and pulled out a bagged bug that he dropped into a bowl along with some fruit that he quickly cut up and dropped in with it. Lion-o put the bowl down on the table as Bahati flew up to the edge, keeping his distance as he looked at the fruit.

"What's wrong? It's food" he told the little Quekan as the bird cocked his head. Bahati let out a little chatter as he ruffled his feathers and shook his head.

"Oh come on, I know you're hungry. I don't see a problem with it, see?" Lion-o talked to the bird as he picked up a piece of fruit and took a bite out of it, leaving the skin draped on the side of the bowl. Bahati raised his wings as he chirped twice, bobbing his head a little as he noticed the lion eat the fruit.

"Yes, it's good. Are you going to eat it?" he asked. Bahati chattered again as he waddled to the bowl and picked up a piece of the fruit and knocked it out of the bowl with his beak.

"Look, she'd never forgive me if I let you die of starvation, so can you please eat? I don't know what you're telling me to do" he replied as Bahati shook his little head and started to bite at the side of the fruit piece. The lion started watching the bird as he tried to peel the skin off the fruit in a very inefficient manner, and plucked the seeds out with his beak. It seemed like a long process just for one slice of fruit.

"Wait, let me guess, you don't like the skin and the seeds?" he asked. Bahati chirped at him, hoping he got the idea to prepare his food properly.

"You're a pretty high maintenance little guy, but ok" Lion-o chuckled as he picked up the bowl and peeled the skin off the pieces and took the seeds out. Just as he finished and put the bowl down, the Quekan immediately dove into the food and devoured every scrap that was available, including the small legs of the bug.

"So you'll eat the carapace of the beetle but not the seeds and skin of fruit. I guess everybody has their own tastes" he said with a half chuckle. Bahati looked up at him wondering what he was saying. As the young king put his finger out to give him a scratch on his neck, the little bird hissed and spread his wings, backing away as he looked like he was going to bite.

"Easy, I was just going to give you some attention" he told him as he put his hand on the table palm up. Bahati hissed lightly as he backed away on the table, still nervous around him even though he had just given him his meal.

"Guess you still don't trust me huh? Fine; I guess there's a trick I haven't learned from her to get you to relax around me" he said to the Quekan as Bahati flew off the table and through the door of the kitchen. The young king got up and followed, and just as he left the door he saw the bird fly out of the hatchway and out towards the cargo ramp.

"Bahati! No!" he yelled as he sprinted through the hatchway and watched as the bird flew outside, away from the Feliner and higher up into the castle.

"Now I'm really in trouble" he whispered.

**[Two Hours Later]**

Ten guards walked in single file down a large street as wagons and citizens parted ways for them to move on. The ones who wouldn't get out of the way were talked to calmly, showing that they did not in fact wish to harm the people unlike the previous squad that the group had knocked out.

"Help! Help!" they heard as they looked around and readied their weapons. Two cubs were motioning for the squad to follow them into a building.

"What's the problem young ones?" the leader asked.

"There's a man with a wounded leg! We think he's the one the Duke wants! We found him in here!" they said as they ran inside.

"Finally, a chance to not get yelled at by that guy…" one of the guards muttered under his breath. The squad ran after them and into the large warehouse, but the cubs suddenly disappeared.

"Hey! Youngsters! Where are ya? Hello? It's not safe in here with that man! Show yourselves so we can get you out of here!" the sergeant yelled out.

"I don't like this…" a corporal behind him said as he cocked his musket.

"You shouldn't" a woman's voice echoed through the room as they waved their rifles around. A small bomblet dropped to the ground and exploded in a blinding flash, with all the guards closing their eyes.

"Agh! Can't see!" one of them grunted as each one had their weapons knocked from their hands. As their vision came back, they all readied their swords and were face to face with twenty armed militiamen, all of them wearing a brown padded suit and holding some form of lever action rifle.

"Surrender your weapons and you will not be harmed" the woman's voice said as they all kept their backs to each other.

"So these are the rebels we've been hearing about… you're the ones who've been causing so many problems for the people" the sergeant growled out through gritted teeth.

"On the contrary; your Duke, the man you work for has been causing chaos" a man's voice said as Citrakayah walked out from the shadows along with Kalihara.

"He's the one who's paying our wages!" the corporal yelled at him.

"He's the one who's bleeding your families dry of theirs" Kalihara responded. The guards looked at each other, interest in their eyes, but kept their swords ready.

"My colleague here believes this is the best thing to do. I stand by her. You fight for this man, this Duke, for payment? And yet he takes that same money from your families, the very people you are probably working to take care of, and does what with it? It goes to the aristocrats, the nobility, the people who you aren't, the people who knock your parents, your children, your wives around in the street like they're not worth a thing. You protect this man?" Citrakayah placed the question for all of the guards to think over.

"We took oaths to stop things like this from ever happening assassin. We're here to protect the people, and you're making it more difficult to do so" the sergeant told him sternly.

"We're fighting to protect the people from the government you are a lap dog for. Wouldn't you rather work for a government that actually cares instead of using you up and throwing you out? The Duke and the people under him don't care about your lives or your families. Look around you. Starvation, homelessness, people begging for coin in the streets while the ones who can afford magic are living the high life. Which side do you protect?" Kalihara told them. The guards looked at each other and faltered in their stances.

"I'm guessing there's a proposition somewhere in this" the sergeant growled.

"It's a simple one really. Help us stop this corrupt government, so that your families and you can have better lives than working for those who believe they are higher than you. If you join us, you will not be harmed, and if we can get enough to join from the guards, they won't even have the military strength to fight back, and we can perform this revolution without seeing any of your friends or loved ones hurt. This whole thing can roll over quickly without a single shot fired. A new government can be built, one that can benefit the common man, not those who have more coin. That common man is you, that commoner is your wives, your children, your parents." They all looked at each other and slowly lowered their swords. The sergeant looked behind him at his men, as they looked at him.

"Sir? They're right" one of them told him.

"My father is a carpenter in the old quarter. I'm a guard just to help put food on the table for my younger siblings" The corporal said quietly.

"You promise no harm will come to my men?" the sergeant asked.

"If you join us, they won't be just your men, you will all be one of us, and there is no reason to harm any of you. Fight for your families sergeant, not for some fat rich cat who is being waited on hand and foot while you patrol the districts hoping to not see one more cat put out on the streets because he can't pay his rent to them" Citrakayah told him. The guards dropped their swords as the militiamen picked everything up.

"Lower your weapons men" Kalihara ordered. They obeyed, as the guards dropped their hands to their sides and looked amongst each other.

"We're traitors…" the sergeant said softly as he looked at the floor.

"No, you're revolutionaries. You're going to be fighting for a better life."

"So, what do you need us to do?" the sergeant asked.

"Wear this under your armor, and hang low for a bit like nothing has happened. Go back to the barracks. When the time comes, and you'll know when that happens, we'll give the order. You will join our ranks, and hopefully this whole thing will happen in one fell swoop without any bloodshed" Kalihara told them as one of the militiamen held up a suit.

"No bloodshed? Wait, are you serious?" the sergeant asked.

"We're hoping that this won't escalate that far as long as we can get the city's military to be on our side. How many of your fellow guards do you know that are working to survive? To feed their families? Get the word out in secret, join us and there won't be a reason to fight if they don't have anyone to fight with" Citrakayah told them.

"Sergeant, that's practically-" the corporal started to say.

"Practically everyone… even the lieutenants… alright. Let's hope we're doing the right thing."

**[Evening]**

"Lion-o? Are you decent?" Celica asked as she opened his bedroom door. Lion-o was exhausted after chasing Bahati around the castle for most of the day. Each time he tried to catch the little bird, he either flew away out a window and went to another opening, or landed nearby him when he sat down. The young king was leaning against the balcony railing as he stared upwards, watching as the Quekan was perched on the roof a good two stories above, with his little eyes watching the lion.

"Why don't you just come down? You've gotta be hungry by now!" he grumbled as the little bird chattered and ruffled his feathers. He began to preen himself as Lion-o sighed and walked inside, giving up on getting Kalihara's pet back to safety for the time being.

"Who are you talking to?" the princess asked.

"Bahati, I accidentally let him escape the Feliner, and now he's flying around the castle and won't come down until… he just won't come down…" he told her as he shook his head and dragged his fingers through his fiery red hair. Was he waiting for Kalihara? Did he feel Lion-o was a threat? He didn't have a clue; all he knew was that Kalihara would be angry with him if he didn't get the bird back in the Feliner before she got back, wherever she was.

"Any news on my friends?" he asked her.

"Nothing. I'm sure our soldiers are doing everything they can to find them. Don't worry, everything will be fine, I'm sure of it" she cooed as she put her hand on his shoulder.

"I hope they aren't under some mind control… they could be just held hostage. Were there any demands? Anything from this assassin?" he asked her.

"Not one message. However, I would not put it by the peasants to attack friends of the king. They may be doing it for revenge" she replied.

"Revenge? I don't like the sound of that… maybe if I go down there tomorrow and talk with some people, they might know where they've gone, and I could… well, mingle" he told her.

"You cannot be serious! That would put you in too much danger! They could ambush you in the middle of the city!" she exclaimed.

"I might be able to reason with them, talk this out, I might be able to come to some sort of agreement. As long as they come back unharmed, I don't really care what happens to me" he told her. She looked at him worriedly.

"You are the king, your life is worth more than everyone here, including mine. You cannot have any harm befall you, especially in my home city. I will not allow it. Tomorrow I will ask some of our servants to talk amongst the others in the city for you." He thanked her for the offer, but he was staring off through the window over his shoulder as his mind wandered to the four still out in the city.

**[Somewhere in the Castle]**

"His friends are destroying everything that I have worked for! All of my power will be flushed away if we don't do something soon!" a man's voice said deep within the darkness of the castle.

"Then speed up the plan. You swore you would uphold your side of the bargain. I will provide the power you require to rule with an iron fist, and you will finish off Lion-o and his entourage" Mumm-ra's voice cackled from a black well of water situated in the floor of the room.

"Sire, my daughter has feelings for the young king. What would you have me do?" the voice asked.

"The power you have always wanted will be yours, but sacrifices will be needed for you to rise above what you are now" the mummy's voice echoed through the room. Duke Philipp stood staring at the well, thinking.

"Do you have a problem with that? Your late wife died from poisoning the horse she rode on by your hand; is it too difficult to do the same to your daughter?" he asked.

"No my lord. If she gets in the way as well… then I will have no choice. My loyalty is to you, not to my family" Philipp told him as he bowed.

"Then perform the ritual to transfer all the magical power of the city to yourself as I have shown you, and rid me of that king!"

"Yes my lord. I will perform it tomorrow morning. His team is currently split, and most likely the four lost in the city are lying dead in some ditch because of the crime in the city. He will be dealt with."

**[Morning]**

"You aren't gonna work up a sweat if you don't break your defense Lion-o!" Tygra chuckled as he struck at him with a blunted sword. They were sparing in an open courtyard for combat training. Celica watched with keen interest as Lion-o kept his guard up and tried to look for an opening. Tygra always beat him in swordplay, but he never gave up the chance to win just once. His mind was wandering constantly to his friends though, and kept him from really fighting back.

"I'm gonna beat you this time" the young king grimaced as he swung, but seemed to not put as much effort into it as he normally would.

"Not happening little brother" the tiger prince laughed as he deflected his sword to the side, with both of them locked against each other. The brothers broke apart and got ready for another push, but stopped short as they heard commotion coming from outside.

"What's going on?" Lion-o asked. Guards were running towards the front of the castle as wizards lined up on the walls.

"Something's wrong…" Tygra replied gravely as they both walked into the castle and stopped a guard.

"Hey, where's the fire?" the tiger prince asked.

"I am sorry prince Tygra, but there is a mob at the front gates to the castle stairs! We are mustering as we speak" he replied and ran for the doors.

"That can't be good" Lion-o said as they both ran upstairs to get their gear and sprinted back down. Once they were outside, Cheetara and the two brothers both stopped dead in their tracks. There was a huge crowd of people at the bottom of the stairs behind the gates, yelling and crying for justice.

"What's going on?" Panthro asked as he jogged up with Lynx-o coming behind him, his hand on the other General's shoulder.

"I don't know, I'm gonna go check" Lion-o replied as he walked carefully towards the gates.

"Lion-o! Don't! They could attack you!" Celica yelled in worry.

"It's ok, I just want to see what's the problem for them." The young king reached the gates as the crowd jeered at them.

**[Music: Pennywise – Let Us Hear Your Voice]**

"We won't tolerate being treated this way anymore! We want Duke Philipp to step down!" "Yes! Freedom for everyone! Not just the rich!" "I thought magic was supposed to be there to help everyone? It's certainly not helping us!" "Lower the taxes! We can't afford to live like this!" he heard as he put his hands up. There were men and women holding lever action rifles amongst the crowd with brown suits interspersed carefully among the other people. These people were ready for a fight if they needed to.

"Everyone quiet down! QUIET!" Lion-o roared. The crowd calmed down as he stood behind the gates.

"My name is Lion-o, Lord of the Thunder Cats, and your king. I haven't been in Lyon for very long, and I don't really know what's going on. What seems to be the problem that makes you all come here?" he asked.

"The Duke treats these people like vermin for his own gains, that's what's wrong!" a voice said over many heads as the crowd backed away to let Citrakayah through.

"You!" Cheetara looked shocked as she saw his face.

"Yes, me. These people are here today because of what the nobility has done to them. While the aristocrats get fat and happy off of their work, these people starve or freeze to death in the streets. If you are the king, then why have you not helped your subjects?" he asked. The assassin was suddenly flanked by four brown suited revolutionaries, ready to tangle if it came down to it. They looked more than a match for the musket carrying soldiers next to the young king. The equipment they carried reminded him of the things that Kalihara used.

"I am the king, and I would try to help, but this isn't fixing anything with you rioting. Couldn't some of you have just brought any of this to my attention? I'm not omniscient, I don't know everything that goes on around here" he replied.

"Clear out! All of you or we'll open fire!" one group of guards yelled.

"No you won't! Don't you dare!" Lion-o yelled, but his voice was drowned out by the yelling of the crowd as they roused up again.

"Enough!" Citrakayah yelled as he backed away with the crowd.

"You would fire into these people who are bringing their problems to be addressed as is their right? Just try it!" he growled.

"They are disturbing the peace! Now back off!" the sergeant of the group yelled.

"Don't you dare" a voice said behind him. A lever action pistol cocked behind his head as another guard aimed at him, with others aiming their brand new rifles at the guards that were willing to attack the civilians. Multiple guards pulled away their insignia tabards and showed they were wearing the same suits and carrying the same new weapons.

"You traitors" the sergeant growled.

"We fight for our families and the people, not some Duke" the other guards replied and nodded in agreement.

"Whoa, this is new" Tygra said to himself as they looked at the guns.

"This is the start of the Revolution! Viva la Revolution!" Citrakayah yelled out. "VIVA LA REVOLUTION!" A rising shout echoed from the crowd in unison.

"I take it you're the leader of this entire thing?" Lion-o asked as he turned back around.

"Actually, it's a council if you will right now" the cheetah smirked.

"What do you want?" the young king asked sternly.

"We have a list right here, but the main thing is equality and for Duke Philipp to step down as ruler of this city. He oppresses everyone that isn't of the same caste, born into wealth. He makes everyone suffer under his rule. This cannot be left to happen."

"Maybe he's the only reason crime is kept in check in the slums, did you ever think about that? Or maybe keeping the roads paved? The police paid?" Lion-o replied.

"The pittances each use from the coffers is nothing compared to what these people have paid. He's keeping that for himself!" a banker yelled from the back of the crowd. The others agreed.

"King Lion-o, you seem like a decent fellow, so I'm going to tell you now. Duke Philipp must surrender, and nothing you do is going to change that. These people want to be treated fairly, wouldn't you agree to that?" Citrakayah asked.

"Trying to assassinate him before this doesn't exactly make me want to treat you fairly, or kidnapping my friends" Lion-o replied with a growl.

"Kidnapped? Lion-o, we're fine" a voice rang out from behind Citrakayah. Bengali shouldered his way through wearing a brown padded suit and a modified sledge hammer. It wasn't the Hammer of Thundera, but it had coils running along the sides and seemed to spark electricity once in a while.

"Bengali?" Lion-o asked. The cubs were by his side.

"Yeah, we're ok. We're actually in on this. We've seen firsthand what Duke Philipp has done to his people, and now it's time for him to step down. Look at these people Lion-o. Look at the guards that are on our side. No one likes him. He's a tyrant that needs to be stopped." Celica just starred at all the people.

"His daughter is the same as her father! She goes too!" one of the crowd yelled.

"Enough! Where's Kalihara?" Lion-o asked.

"She's up on the rooftops, aiming at certain not too friendly guards who aren't in on this" Bengali thumbed over his shoulder. Lion-o looked at the roofs of buildings until he saw a winking flash of light in the distance. It was the scope attached to a modified lever action sniper rifle with extended barrel and a drum unit installed for extra cartridges. Sitting behind it with her finger on the trigger was Kalihara, sighting down the length of it at any guards who would start attacking the people. She was wearing propped on her forehead a pair of goggles with multiple flip down lenses and a glare shield rigged on top. Covering most of her body was a makeshift tent. She was situated in the small window of an attic on top of a large shop aiming directly down the main street to the castle.

"Celica? Do you have anything to say about this?" Lion-o asked. Celica had her hand up to her chest, a worried expression on her face.

"Your friends incited a riot on us Lion-o. What do you want me to say? This is madness!" she exclaimed. By then the gates were unlocked by the guards manning it, as they were also with the revolutionaries.

"Madness? Celica, your father is treating these people like animals, not people" Tygra told her.

"And they try and fix this with a civil war? This whole thing could turn into a blood bath! If the guards didn't turn against us then you would all be dead! None of us want this!" she snapped.

"Hardly; Kalihara and I made some improvements to their arsenal. What they lack in magic, they make up for with tech. You guys are using antiquated muskets compared to what we whipped up" Bengali responded.

"So you did help them… and Kalihara too?" Lion-o asked.

"What were we to do Lion-o? He's already proven he doesn't play fair with those he thinks are beneath him. He even treated his mother in law like dirt in the dining room! Tell me you picked up on that. We evened the odds for them, gave them a fighting chance in a very short period of time. It was simple; make the soldiers know who they were fighting for, either the nobility or their home. You know who they chose. He has no one defending him. Even the servants hate his guts!" the white tiger explained.

"You could have brought up the problems you were all having and have him address the situation like everywhere else!" Lion-o yelled.

"They already did!" Citrakayah snapped back, moving his hands to his sides. Lion-o could clearly see the outline of the daggers in his pants.

"Celica?" Lion-o asked, wanting to choose his words carefully after hearing what was going on.

"Father always kept me out of the politics. I was always going to be your queen Lion-o, so there was no need for me to be concerned. I… admit my father treated those who served us harshly… but… surely there had to have been a reason for his actions against them, something other than being a tyrant. He is not! He can't be!... he is my papa…" she replied, raising her voice in an outburst, but her strength trailed away as she looked at the floor in concern.

"Then I'll have to handle this. Attention all citizens of Lyon! I am your king! I order you back to your homes! I will look into this personally! You have my word!" the young king shouted out to the crowd.

"Will you remove Duke Philipp from his rule?" one of the people shouted.

"Once I have gained a bit more information, I will see about having him step down" he replied, frustrated with the whole situation. He turned around and glanced up at Celica standing ten steps above him, a look of sorrow on her face. If her father was stripped of his authority, then she would be nothing but a commoner as well.

"How could you bring this upon me and everyone here?" he snapped at Bengali.

"Me? You were the one who sat around in the castle being waited on hand and foot! If we didn't do something to change the path of these people, it could have turned into something far worse out here! The whole city would be in upheaval, and wouldn't have survived afterwards!" Bengali retaliated with as he walked by his side, his hands gesturing at the city with large swinging motions.

"You could have tried to send a message to me! Anything! I could have done something on my side before this escalated! And you dragged Kalihara into this? The cubs too?" Lion-o snapped at him.

"They joined willingly! Kalihara is the one who has been helping to lead this revolution alongside Citrakayah!" the white tiger yelled at him. Lion-o growled at him as the cheetah walked through the gates, with Cheetara moving from Tygra's side. The young king looked at the ground as he thought about the lioness. She was actively helping to lead the revolution.

"Citrakayah… it couldn't be…" she whispered as they came face to face.

"It is me. So, you're a cleric for the throne from what I've heard… and in a relationship with the tiger prince. Better than what we had before after the town was destroyed. I'm glad to see you're alright" he replied softly. Her hands came up towards his face, and just as she was about to touch it, she clenched one of them into a fist and rammed it against his shoulder.

"Why didn't you tell me you were alive? Why didn't you try and find me? I thought everyone was dead! And you just show up, right now, expecting everything to be ok? Where have you been!" she screamed into his face.

"That may take some time to explain, and right now we don't have it. The crowd is going to break up, we should take care of one problem first and then move to anything personal. The Duke. If we don't go find him, he could-" the assassin started to explain, but cut himself off as his eyes looked over her head and at the castle. In the eastern tower lightning started to cascade around it, sparking off of flag poles and shields attached to the stones.

"Is that wizard training going on?" Lion-o asked Celica.

"There is no college class that lives in the castle Lion-o" she replied as she watched with interest.

"I get the feeling your father has been up to other things besides draining the people of their money" Bengali warned. He made a motion with his hand behind him, and the twinkling of the scope on the roof disappeared. Kalihara was packing up and heading towards them.

"Absurd! How dare you! My father doesn't even have magic in his blood! There is no way he could do anything like that!" the princess snapped at him, fire blazing in her eyes. If it weren't for the fact that he was in Lion-o's group, she might have attacked him with some magic of her own.

"We need to figure out what it is that's happening up there then. A little convenient that would start when we're all down here and the riot started up" Tygra commented.

"Agreed. Thunder Cats, let's go" Lion-o commanded. They charged into the castle and headed for the eastern tower, reaching it slowly as all the stairs were disabled.

"They are not activating. This could slow us down" Tygra said as they stood on the edge of the flooring, staring down. Below the empty area was pitch black, but most likely had traps and spikes aiming up at them waiting for someone to fall in.

"This is but a nuisance" Celica responded as she waved her hands, the stairs reappearing with her own magic creating them. The others followed, with the stairs disappearing behind them. Kalihara hadn't quite yet reached the castle, and while they headed up the winding stairs of the tower, the lightning started to cascade inside the stone walls.

"Incoming!" Lynx-o yelled as he sniffed the air, jumped in front of Lion-o, and blocked with his shield. The lightning bounced off of the defensive barrier and shot back up.

"How did you know that was coming?" Lion-o asked, glancing between the old General and up towards the top of the tower.

"You learn to fight without your sight when you don't have it. Hearing, smell, taste of the air becoming burnt, the dryness of it against your fur. It opens your other senses to a form of sensitivity you have yet known young king." Lion-o nodded as they continued up the stairs.

"Why couldn't he have done this in the throne room…" Panthro huffed out as they headed up. Once they reached the top of the stairs, there was a giant floor set out before them, with a large black water pool in the middle. Surrounding it was a pentagram etched into the ground with candles at each point, and a mirror on the wall facing each tip of the star. Standing behind it was Duke Philipp, reading from a book.

"Father? No… it couldn't be…" Celica whispered.

"I had it all planned out so well, how did it come to this? So many deviations in what I calculated… I have to do this, there is no choice!" the Duke said to himself as he paced up and down behind the pool.

"What? What are you planning?" Lion-o asked.

"This is wrong, wrong I tell you! My daughter was to marry you, to connect me to the throne, to bring more power in my name! I would become a Grand Duke! Riches! And you help the commoner? The peasants?" he snapped, his mustache twitching.

"Philipp… whatever you are doing… stop it… come downstairs… your oppression is what the people are clammering about in the city, and they really aren't happy with it" Lion-o told him sternly.

"Why is he doing this? Father, you cannot cast spells! It was never in your blood! It was always the women of my family who could use their essence to manipulate the world, not the men" Celica asked, looking confused between her father pacing about and the pentagram on the floor.

"I do this to keep what I have earned! I have clawed my way up from the bowels of this city and become what I am today! I was like them once, but I was spit on, and never expected to amount to anything! Now look at me! I am a Duke after wooing your mother into embracing the idea of us becoming something more!... after you were born, she started to have doubts about her love for me… they didn't last once I realized she would dash my goals by renouncing my name in the eyes of her father. I took care of him, and her, all in one fell swoop. I will not be made a mockery of again!" he told her.

"What?... grandfather died of heart failure in his sleep… his breath gave out… you… and mother? No, I don't believe it" Celica said, her voice starting to become hoarse as her breathing quickened, tears appearing in her eyes.

"That horse was well trained. I couldn't spook it, so I had to find something to make sure it would fall backwards and crush her. It seems not all the herbs in the college work for the good of the people, some can cause ill effects to animals if given in the right dosage."

"No… NO!" Celica screamed, tears falling down her cheeks as she realized her father had killed her mother, her grandfather, and thought of her as nothing but a tool.

"As king of the Thunder Cats, I strip you of your power over this city, and will bring you to justice" Lion-o shouted at him.

"You think you can strip power from me? I have gained what I wanted from the very start. Power isn't a title anymore for me, it is the ability to do what her mother and she could do! I have it now because of my master!" Philipp laughed out as lightning wrapped around the walls. A familiar voice could barely be heard echo from the pool.

"Dispose of them, and I will grant you all the power you desire. You will bring that city under my command."

"By your will, Mumm-ra" Philipp said.

"No… papa… don't do this…" Celica whimpered out.

"This has to end! Thunder Cats! Ho!" Lion-o ordered. They rushed towards the Duke, and just as they circled the pool a wave of air threw them back, with multiple black shadowy creatures crawling from the water towards where they fell.

"Remove Lion-o from this world!" Mumm-ra's voice ordered.

"I have the perfect way to do that" Philipp replied as he cast a spell towards Lion-o. The others struggled with the creatures as Lion-o was lifted from where he landed and slammed into the wall. He brought up the Sword of Omens and fired the destruction beam from the eye in the cross guard, barely missing the Duke.

"Pitiful. I cannot believe we ever served the crown if you can't even handle a bit of magic" he chuckled. His arm was grappled by roots as he stopped and looked to his side. Cheetara had her staff aimed at him, trying to wrap the roots around his body. A quick concussive force from the new powers that he had broke the roots easily from his body, with a retaliating strike from one of the shadow creatures knocking her to the ground. Citrakayah fought with three at the same time, slicing and dodging with practiced moves before rolling and striking at the one that had Cheetara pinned.

Tygra used his whip to knock the book from Philipp's hand, in which he was promptly struck by a firebolt to the chest.

"Argh!" he roared as he dropped to the ground, his armor burning as he flopped to his side, his right arm holding his chest. Cheetara saw him fall as he winced in pain, focusing everything he had to disappear and move away from the Duke.

Panthro and Lynx-o were both back to back, but Philipp cast a spell that blinded Panthro with pure darkness.

"I can't see!" he yelled out as he put his hand out to feel for the environment.

"Use your other senses Panthro! I thought you were better than that" Lynx-o chuckled out as he slammed his shield into another creature, sending it flying back into the pool before two more climbed out to take its place. The Duke walked to Lion-o, who was pinned to the wall, his arms fighting to break away from the force keeping him there and fight to defend his friends.

"I see now what I had always wanted. I didn't want a title; I didn't want a family, I wanted magic. I have lived without the same abilities that my late wife and my daughter have always taken for granted, and I could never have. The capability to alter the fabric of existence, to build or destroy at a whim, this was what I wanted. I should have joined Mumm-ra long ago instead of working so hard to be with that pathetic soft hearted woman and raising a daughter. It would have been so much easier" he said in front of the young king as he grimaced and fought against the strength of the spell.

"You would hurt your own daughter? You don't have a heart" Lion-o growled.

"Not an ounce of it. The only person I have ever cared about from the start was me. That's how the world works. Survival of the fittest, and I will do what I need to survive."

"So your own daughter means nothing to you?" the young king asked.

"Nothing at all" the Duke replied. A lightning bolt flew out from across the room, slamming into Philipp's back. He screamed, his power temporarily faltering as Lion-o pulled away his arm. Celica had heard the entire conversation, with tears pouring from her eyes. She struck again, but he blocked it with a raised energy shield and flung her towards the stairs with a twitch of his hand.

"She's not strong enough yet to take on another caster…" Lion-o whispered to himself. Philipp struggled to keep standing, the burn mark on his clothes showing.

"What a perfect chance to test the transfer of your life energy to me to heal the wound" he laughed out. Kalihara bolted up the stairs just as Philipp started to cast the spell, firing her lever action rifle at him. One of the bullets punched clean through his arm, and he roared in pain as she lunged at him, slamming the stock of her rifle against his jaw. He fell to the ground, groaning as she aimed the barrel right at him, getting ready to pull the trigger and finish him off. Before she could, however, a blast of energy knocked her against Lion-o, keeping her against him.

"I'll have both of your lives used to repair these wounds!" he screamed, and continued the spell. A glowing blue tunnel appeared around both of them, with the end wrapped around the space that Philipp was standing. Kalihara's hand reached for the magnetic crystal in the suit she was wearing, remembering that it could be charged with even more force if it was pushed in front of another spell. It allowed her to barely get away from the pressure as she slid across the wall, keeping the crystal between her and whatever Philipp was casting, though her hands couldn't get a grip on Lion-o to bring him with her as the force from the crystal acted like the repelling force of a magnet. The tunnel got wider, and attached to the wall around Lion-o, blocking him off from the others. The Lioness tried to go back, but Bengali stopped her.

"Don't go in there! Who knows what would happen to Lion-o if you break through that tunnel?" he warned as he held her back. Lion-o dropped to the ground, the pressure receding as Philipp started to cast something different. Celica got up from her position on the stairs, shaking her head from the movement and disorientation.

"What the…" the young king said as he looked at his hands. His fur started to go white at the tips, with his fingers getting slowly thinner, his muscles wasting away. He felt at his face as it started to look gaunt.

"We've gotta stop him!" Cheetara yelled as Citrakayah tried to use whatever he knew to slow it down. Kalihara broke away from Bengali and ran towards the tunnel, but the wall had turned solid.

"Lion-o!" she yelled as she pounded against the side with the stock of the rifle.

"Your life will soon be at an end young king. There is no way you can resis-" Philipp said quietly as Lion-o started to become an old man. A small cloud started to appear over Philipp's head, but this was not his doing. A lightning bolt shot from it, striking against his back. The tunnel wavered as another stronger bolt, and then forked lightning hit him. Rain started to pour from it as Celica watched from her prone position on the stairs while a familiar form simply walked up the steps and stood in front of them. Her grandmother, Claire, was going to save them all.

"You took my daughter away from me, my husband, and you would take my granddaughter as well? All for power… there is a reason men in the family do not have magic in their blood. They cannot handle it" she snarled, her eyes glowing. The cloud got bigger as magic slammed his hands to his sides, his mouth involuntarily closing. His chin snapped upwards as the grandmother kept him pinned with her own abilities.

"Impossible! Two persistent spells at the same time?" he managed to eek out of his mouth.

"Multi-casting. You might have wanted power, but you don't know how to use it" she replied coldly. The cloud started to change color, turning into a reddish brown as the water started to eat away at his clothes as it turned to acid. Suddenly, the rain changed to brimstone as it hailed all around his position. He started to scream and writhe in pain, but was held fast by Claire's spells while he was incinerated. The tunnel started to collapse as Kalihara leapt in and tried to pick Lion-o up, who had a frail feeble body by now. Just as her hands latched onto his shoulders, they started to glow.

"Wait! You could disrupt the return of his life force!" Celica shouted at her. It was too late. Bengali was about to follow in, but Lynx-o stopped him.

"It could further compound the problem" he told the young blacksmith. Kalihara felt her own life energy mingling with Lion-o's as his returned to his body, with his gaunt looks disappearing and his hair returning to the red of his youth. As the tunnel vanished, they both felt static electricity covering their bodies, and as she moved her hands to his to help him up, they both felt an incredible shock that numbed their hands.

"Ah!" the lioness yelped as she pulled away, with Lion-o holding his own hand.

"What just happened? Was he seriously… was he seriously draining my life to heal himself?" Lion-o asked.

"Vampirism. Yes… but you, you could have stopped his life force from returning to him!" Celica snapped at Kalihara as she held her arm.

"Me? I was trying to help him damnit! What the heck did I do?" she growled out.

"Once the recipient is no longer alive, the spell reverts and returns the life force of the owner back, and you jumped into it!" the princess replied.

"Which does what exactly? I feel fine, really" Lion-o asked as he stood to his full height and looked at the others. The shadowy creatures had disappeared as soon as Philipp had been incinerated, and Cheetara was slowly moving amongst the group and healing the minor wounds they had sustained.

"If it has not transferred some of your life essence to her, then she may have absorbed some of the residual essence from Philipp's death. You may not realize it, but she might have become younger by a few years" Claire explained to them. Lion-o and Kalihara both looked at each other and blinked. From what Claire had told them, Kalihara might no longer be whatever age she was, and was closer to his, but it could have nearly made him far older while she could have turned into a cub by mistake. Neither of them looked any different however, which meant there was no real need for alarm, excluding Kalihara was now younger.

One of the guards that had been a revolutionary rushed up the stairs panting. Everyone immediately diverted their attention to him as he tried to speak.

"Your majesty! The guards still loyal to Duke Philipp and the nobles are retaliating with magic! We're holding our own with the new equipment, but just barely!" he told Lion-o as he leaned over and took a few gasps of breath.

"Then we need to get down there" the young king replied.

"But, we should check to see if anything is wrong with your body before you go-" Celica started to say as they made their way down the stairs.

"I'm fine Celica. Those people need my help, they need their king" he replied as the group dashed down the steps and through the castle. Once they were outside and down the stairs to the street below, past the gate and among the guards, magic was being flung about as fires were being set on ornate housing and fine shops. The aristocrats were fighting back with fireballs and lightning, icicles slamming into walls and bodies alike.

"ENOUGH!" he roared. Most of the crowd stopped to look in his direction, with guards taking that chance to capture those who wouldn't stop.

"I said I would handle this! And everyone here started fighting amongst themselves!" he shouted out to everyone.

"They started it! We were heading back to our homes when the nobles began to criticize us in our actions and our place!" one of the people responded.

"They'll get theirs soon! No one has to die here beyond the Duke!" the young king snapped.

"The Duke is dead?" one of the commoners asked, joy spreading across her face as hope spread across the crowd. The aristocrats began to back off.

"Yes, he was performing a magic ritual that would have had unknown effects on the city. He would have sacrificed everyone for his own gains."

"Then our leadership is gone…" a noble said in a gruff voice.

"No it isn't. I am still your king, and you will have a new Duke… or should I say Duchess" Lion-o responded. He gestured behind him at Celica. She looked bewildered as he did so, wondering if it was real.

"Me?" she asked.

"With help from Citrakayah and your grandmother as advisors, nothing like this could happen in the future. You haven't lost your title just because of the actions of your father" the lion told her. Her mouth opened to say something, but no words came out.

"She is my granddaughter, the granddaughter of the Duke that you cherished, the daughter of the woman you praised for her kindness to you all. Bow to her" Claire said suddenly as she walked down the steps carefully with her walking stick, watched over by two guards carrying lever action rifles. Everyone looked among themselves, searching for any that would oppose the decision. None did, as one by one they bowed to the King and to Duchess Celica.

"It's unheard of for a woman in Lyon to be in control Lion-o…" Celica whispered to her.

"Things are changing; that might as well be one of them. You'll be a good ruler for these people" he replied. She blushed and smiled at his compliment.

**[One Day Later]**

"We've got the marker for the next stone shard. Everything is packed and ready" Tygra told Lion-o.

"Not another mountain…" Panthro grumbled.

"We can't fly up there because it would be next to impossible with lack of oxygen, and there's no place to land from what Kalihara told me. We climb and acclimate along the way" Lion-o replied.

"Yeah, you're right" the old General acknowledged as he sighed.

"Getting tired Panthro? I never expected you to take the easy route" the king told him with a catty grin on his face.

"I'm not tired! I just don't like heights remember? The coming down part will be the worst!" he snapped. The group was all ready to go, leaving the Feliner in Lyon while they traveled through the mountain ridge to reach mount Montagne. Kalihara walked past them and stood next to the cubs. The young king glanced over at her and sighed, then took a deep breath and walked over to her. She was wearing arctic gear with a heavy jacket that hung below her kneepads and had a fur lined hood that her suit's hood tucked into. She also had on thicker gloves and a thicker white scarf.

"You didn't forget anything did you?" she asked the Wilys.

"No, I don't think so. Everything was in the Feliner while we were down in the city, so it's not like we could lose stuff there" Kit replied. The lioness nodded and looked at Lion-o, motioning for the cubs to go sit with Bengali. The two lions just stared at each other, as Kalihara wondered what he was going to say.

"About the revolution…" Lion-o started to say. The lioness steeled herself against him chewing her out for her actions.

"I did what I thought was right to help those people Lion-o. We couldn't communicate, we couldn't even get near the Feliner without those who were loyal to Duke Philipp attacking us. I made a judgment call" she interrupted.

"You put yourself in a lot of danger! There had to have been some way you could have contacted me! I could have helped! I… I was really worried. You should have headed to the Feliner somehow." He calmed down as she stood there, defiantly staring at him.

"Soldiers don't run away from the sound of chaos Lion-o" she replied quietly. He didn't know what to say to that. She was willing to die for those people to save them from the tyranny of Duke Philipp.

"I somehow figured you'd say that… what's done is done. Things will be changing in this city, hopefully for the best. It's a bitter sweet ending though, for Celica anyways" he told her.

"Is she going to be ok with her father and mother dead?" she asked.

"Hopefully; her grandmother is still here, and Citrakayah is helping her with reworking the laws to help everyone."

"I'm not apologizing for what I did, but I need to tell you that Bengali and the cubs just did what I told them to do."

"No they didn't, they wanted to help as much as you did, but… it's noble of you to try and take the heat for them" he chuckled.

"Is there any heat to be taken beyond what has transpired?" she asked.

"Well I'm not going to punish you or anything. Still, try and reach the rest of us before you start something in a city we know nothing about. Personal experience" he told her, remembering what he did in the canine city with Pumyra.

"Understood" she replied as she walked over to Bengali and the cubs. He felt some jealousy as he noticed she spent more time talking to them instead of him, only answering the questions he asked. Granted, she came to his quarters to give him some ointment for his aches, showing that she cared about his health; still, he wanted her to talk with him more than Bengali. Celica walked out at that moment wearing her traveling clothes.

"Celica, you aren't coming with us" Lion-o told her quietly. She looked at him in confusion.

"You do not know the lay of the land here Lion-o. You need my help in reaching this shard, and if there are any magical deterrents set, then I am your best defense. You also said you'd give me a chance, have you gone back on your word, my king?" she asked. Her voice wavered a bit as she spoke, with her eyes red from crying through the night. She looked tired, and yet still willing to join their group if simply to be near Lion-o.

"You're the new ruler of Lyon Celica. If anything were to happen to you… the whole thing could be a disaster waiting to happen."

"And you are our king, and yet you are out fighting against a being that turned my father, with little regard for your own safety and instead trying to protect your people. You want me to be a better ruler for this city? Let me learn from your actions" she replied. He sighed and looked at Tygra. The tiger prince put up his hands palm outwards, a look on his face telling him it was his argument and he was staying out of it.

"Alright, I gave you my word I'd give you a chance… do you have everything you need to get going?" he asked.

"I have everything ready, always."

"Go sit with the others then, I need to talk to my brother" he told her. She nodded and gave him a hug before waltzing over to Bengali and Kalihara, and ultimately asking to sit on the box that was too small for two people. Cheetara stood up from her position while Celica took her place, standing by the lioness soldier taking a lazy stance with her hand wrapped around the strap to her rifle slung over her shoulder. Celica sat prim and proper on the box, listening to the cubs talking to Bengali.

"Getting into one of these again is a big risk Lion-o, remember what it did between us? Are you sure you know what you're trying to do?" Tygra asked, a slight smirk on his face and his eyebrow raised. The young king sighed. He remembered what had happened between Tygra and him fighting over Cheetara, and she had proven she had no feelings for him and only for brother. He had already told Kalihara he loved her; for him to suddenly swap on a whim to another woman would show he didn't know what he felt, and that he was what she had said, that he was young and simply had a crush on her.

"No, I don't know what I'm trying to do, but she can help us and learn from her father's mistakes. As long as she figures out she needs to treat others appropriately and as equals to her, and I can get help from my friends with any advice, this shouldn't turn into what we went through."

"I'm just saying Lion-o, here you have a princess that she had said you would eventually find, practically falling into your lap, and she's…" Tygra started, with both brothers looking at the soldier cleaning an apple and then cutting it into pieces for the cubs to eat "got her own inner battles she hasn't come to terms with. You seem to be seeing only the good in her; you aren't seeing everything else that makes her who she is, at least that she's shared. Maybe you should just accept Celica and stop anything from happening before it starts."

**[Music: Meridith Brooks – Bitch]**

Lion-o watched as the lioness handed the slices to Kat as Bengali tried to sneak one away. Her hand quickly shot out and slapped him upside the head and scolded him as he held his head wincing in pain. She then sighed and pulled another apple and cut it up for him. The young king smiled as he saw her quickly swap between a caring mother and a soldier all in less than three seconds.

"I'm not giving up. I swore I wouldn't, no matter what happens, not until I get an answer" Lion-o replied. Kalihara looked over at them talking and blinked, her greens eyes gazing at him with a hint of curiosity, the question hidden in them unknown to him.

"Answer? What?" Tygra asked in confusion and shrugging his shoulders, looking around him for someone to help him with some much needed info about what his brother had told him as Lion-o walked over to the rest of the group.

"Ready to go?" Panthro asked.

"Yeah, let's get that stone shard" Lion-o replied. The others got up as Lynx-o attached a tether to Panthro to help lead him through the snow without sight. Celica stood up and followed in the middle as Lion-o lead the group out of the city and out towards the mountain ridge. He glanced to his side and noticed Kalihara wasn't in the single file line, always on the side and watching their flanks, always guarding them. Lion-o's life had just gotten a bit more complicated now with not one, but two new additions to the team, and hopefully with them some good luck.

**(Author's Note: Yeah… so… a love quadrangle! I've thought it out carefully, and I am doing my best to make sure this does not turn into just a romance for Lion-o and is actually a second season (albeit a little more teenager oriented; I burnt my OC alive for crying out loud… sorry Kali… gotta be a sadist to try and make a good story…))**


	10. Snowy Past Part 1

**Episode 36: Past Forgotten**

The cat pride started to hike up the side of the mountain carefully, slowly moving in a haphazard path towards the top as they maneuvered around obstacles in their path. The mountain itself was taller than anything anyone had seen, except perhaps Kalihara and maybe Celica. The thick snow impeded their walking as they moved higher and higher up the side, with some areas of the landscape having steep inclines too difficult to traverse. Large snow covered boulders and ice dotted the way up to the peak.

"How long do you think this is going to take to reach the top?" Tygra asked.

"Who knows? At our present speed as well as the need to make camp and "acclimatize" per Kalihara, a couple of days?" Panthro replied.

"A couple of days if we're lucky" the lioness commented as the snow crunched under her boots. The trek would have everyone exhausted by the time they decided to build camp. They didn't even know where to settle down once they reached a sufficient height. The ice cold biting wind cut deep into everyone's fur, regardless of clothing or armor worn. Even Kalihara had her goggles covering her eyes, her hood up and her mask shut. The entire team was wondering why the shards seemed to be scattering in different directions, and why one of them was at the top of the mountain.

Time seemed to droll on slowly as the group did their best to put one foot in front of the other, every so once in a while finding an icy patch under the snow that made one of them face plant or slip backwards, their claws doing little to keep them balanced and further assisting in stubbed toes and pinched cuticles. Very few of them wanted to talk beyond telling the person in front of them to slow down, as the entire team excluding Kalihara was attached via rope tied to each belt, making sure no one fell into some hidden hole below the freezing white. The lioness was always on the side, turning around every so often and walking backwards as she surveyed the area with Lion-o observing her once in a while. His confusion to her movements made him slowly move towards her.

"Hey, is something wrong?" he asked as she tapped her goggles and shook her head oddly. Kalihara looked at him and lifted her goggles up, her green eyes gazing at him.

"Thermal is on the fritz I think. I don't know how though; it's either the fragment or the magic from the city or I did poor maintenance-" she explained as he listened intently.

"The point is, I can't see anything that may creep up on us via heat detection."

"Something might actually be hunting in this frozen wasteland?"

"Things live in all biomes Lion-o, and we kind of standout… well, you guys do anyway."

She jutted her chin towards him as he noticed her cold weather armor was almost entirely white rocky camouflage with some fur lining around the hood compared to the tan and purple cloaks they were all wearing. His blue armor might look like ice from a good distance, but anything closer would see his fiery red hair. The others didn't seem much better off, but at least they were better equipped thanks to Lyon. The cold still seemed to seep through their thick clothing however.

"I guess we should keep a better lookout of our surroundings then. What do you think would live here?"

"Considering you have a very wide range of creatures on Third Earth? I have no idea, but I'd hazard a guess to some primitive tigers, maybe bears… yetis."

"Abominable snowmen? You can't be serious, can you?" Tygra snuck into the conversation behind them, his mouth slightly open in disbelief.

"No hairy monster is getting me" Panthro grunted out, his heavy footfalls crunching through the snow and just barely missing stubbing his toes on a hidden rock below the white slush.

"I think he already did" Bengali chuckled as he pointed behind the panther, his finger aiming at the General's head. The cubs giggled because of the joke, with a hmph escaping Panthro's mouth as he pulled on the rope a bit, nearly knocking Bengali into the snow.

"You'd be surprised what you can find on any planet, and this one is largely unexplored even centuries after your ancestors made landfall" Kalihara interceded as she stopped and aimed her rifle out towards the horizon.

"Can you get any of your drones to keep watch?" the young king asked.

"I left them back at the ship."

"Why?"

"My scout's hover fans would freeze up, the spider drone would get stuck in this knee high snow, and do you see any place I can put down my turret that's stable? They're extra weight that I could use for food and water, an extra blanket, a spare pair of mittens or oxygen. I'm lucky I still have a satellite uplink right now, and even with that I'm getting interference from the weather."

A loud crunch punctuated the air as she stepped on ice, her boots keeping traction with the spike attachments. She was the only one keeping her balance when she found it, but she was also the only one that could disappear down a hidden hole or crevice.

"Heads up" Tygra yelled out as he put up a hand, as he was leading the front with Cheetara connected to him. Panthro was connected to Bengali, and Lion-o was connected to Celica. The cubs trailed behind, slogging through the snow with each step a challenge due to their small stature. Snarf was stuffed in Kat's backpack, a blanket and small cloak wrapped around him. Lynx-o was attached to Panthro as well, as his blindness made it a bit difficult to be connected with anyone else.

"Large crevice." The others caught up to the tiger prince and stared at the whole situation.

"Panthro, do you have the ladder ready?" Lion-o asked.

"Right here." The General pulled from his pack a small ladder that he connected to another carried on Lynx-o's pack. They extended it outwards and slowly scooted it across the large crack in the frozen floor until it hit solid ground.

"Be very careful. Slow and steady" Bengali warned as they each untied from each other and one by one made their way across the makeshift bridge to the opposite side, being wary of the movement making the ladder creak and slide a bit due to the position on the snow and ice. The last two that hadn't crossed to the other side were Kalihara and Lion-o.

"You go next" the young king told her.

"I'll come up behind you. Someone should keep this side stable."

"Kalihara, I can do that; you make it to the other side."

"You're the king Lion-o; it would be foolish to not have someone keep it stable for you. Go, I'll be right behind."

Lion-o sighed and was about to argue when he felt the wind cut into his jacket again.

"Alright, fine." The lion climbed onto the ladder as she held down the metal on her side while Panthro held onto the ladder from the opposite. As Lion-o slowly reached the other side of the crevice, he noticed the bars of the ladder had worn somewhat into the ice, and looked about halfway cut from all the weight traveling over it.

"Ok, I'm over, now you." Lion-o motioned for her to cross. The sniper took a deep breath and got onto the ladder, carefully putting her spiked boots onto each rung as she moved over the bridge. The rocking of the platform gouged the bars deeper into the ice as she was halfway.

"Easy, slowly, just a bit more" Bengali said calmly as she crawled on all fours towards them. Suddenly, the bars slipped from their side as the ice broke away. Kalihara instinctively leapt forward as Lion-o lunged for her, his hand outstretched hoping to grab hold of something. His fingers barely wrapped around her mitten covered hand as she hung from the side of the crevice, the ladder clattering below.

"Ooph!" she grunted as her chest slammed into the icy irregular wall as some snow slipped on top of her. Lion-o slid an inch as he couldn't find much purchase with his claws on his feet to dig in and pull back.

"Kalihara!" Kat screamed in worry as the team held the cubs back a bit while Bengali slid to the side to help Lion-o pull her up. As Lion-o pulled at her arm and slid her over the edge with Bengali grabbing her pack strapped to her shoulders and lifting her the rest of the way, she turned on her side and looked over the edge.

"Close one" she let out a deep breath she didn't know she was holding as everyone's adrenaline was at peak. She had nearly fallen to her death.

"I think we have to worry more about the land than the animals here" Lion-o told her as the lioness draped her left arm over the side of the crevice.

"Hey, what are you-" Bengali started to say as Kalihara fired off her grapple hook from her gauntlet, hoping against hope that the attachment hook at the end found the ladder below.

"Careful!" Lion-o yelped as he grabbed onto her shoulders as she slide an inch. A metal clanging sound was heard as the hook made contact with the ladder below.

"Hmm, not that deep" she whispered.

"How far does that line go?" the blacksmith asked.

"Far enough apparently to reach the ladder. The fall would have still killed me though." She pressed at a button on her gauntlet, watching the numbers recede from the maximum length as she grunted from the weight of the ladder being pulled up. Bengali grabbed at the line as Lion-o pulled Kalihara back from the side of the crevice, worried that the ice would continue to break, and all three would topple in. The white tiger took over most of the labor to reel in the line as the gauntlet continued to rescind the wire back into the hand device , with scraping sounds heard from below as the ladder tapped and skidded across the ice, making long grooves out of sight. Luckily for them, it didn't get caught on anything.

"Do you want to fall in?" Lion-o asked in disbelief of her actions.

"Do you want to get back to the city after we get this fragment?" she asked. He closed his mouth as the ladder reached the edge and slid over, with Bengali grabbing it and bringing it to the others to disassemble. The remainder of the hike for the next hour was uneventful as they continued around a jutting frozen rock outcropping and close to a half moon shaped cut out in the side of the snowy mountain.

"How high are we?" Kat asked as she huffed.

"High enough to have difficulty with oxygen. We should make camp nearby" Lynx-o replied.

"We're not that high. We haven't even reached anything over 2500 meters" Kalihara commented.

"Really?" the old General asked earnestly.

"Really. It'll take us a few days to reach a level I would assume we should stay at for some time to acclimatize. Once we hit that position, we stay there until our bodies have gotten used to the low oxygen levels."

"How long will that take?" Lion-o asked behind her as he drank from his water canteen.

"About a week." Everyone gawked at Kalihara.

"Can we really afford a week?" Bengali asked.

"I don't think we brought enough food for that…" Kit whispered.

"Good thing I planned ahead if she did not" Celica proudly announced to everyone.

"What are you talking abo-" Kalihara started to say just as the princess pointed over to the opposite side of the crevice. In the far distance was a caravan coming towards them.

"You asked for help?" Lion-o asked.

"Of course. It would be foolish to climb without others to help build a camp." The snow leopard beamed with pride as everyone watched the caravan grow larger over the edge of the land.

"How long until they reach us?"

"A few more hours, and they'll bring materials to build a more permanent bridge for the crevice. They'll provide a supply line as we head up" Celica replied as she looked at Kalihara, almost accusing her of being incompetent with the stare and smile she had. Lion-o felt the animosity between the two women, despite Kalihara not showing any emotion beyond the cold stone mask she wore for a face.

**[Four Hours Later]**

The caravan had crossed the crevice and built a camp further ahead, with tents set up in a circle. Lion-o's was the largest, with smaller ones set for the rest of the group. One happened to be missing, the one that Kalihara would have gotten. She didn't mind, as the lioness had pulled out a small pod tent from her pack that slowly expanded and hardened once she attached a small vial to a plug on the door. The liquid inside quickly turned to gas once it made contact with the air and made the tent turn into an odd hexagonal igloo barely large enough for the lioness to sleep comfortably. Celica was frowning as the logistics involving the missing tent hadn't ruined the lioness's day. Night slowly fell upon the small camp as sherpas moved to small camp fires and cooking pots for dinner while the group kept to themselves mostly.

"So what height are we at right now?" Panthro asked.

"2000 meters" Kalihara stated calmly as she blew on her hot soup and took a spoonful out and carefully brought it to her mouth.

"What's the height of the mountain?"

"From the baseline or from where Lyon is?"

"Just Lyon."

"About Eight Thousand." Panthro nearly spat out his soup as he took a bite.

"This is going to take a couple of weeks."

"No one said looking for stone fragments was going to be easy" the lioness replied.

"We wouldn't be looking for them if Lion-o hadn't-" Tygra started to grumble as Cheetara elbowed him. "Sorry."

The team went to bed early to pick up camp the next day and continue to the agreed upon height in which to set up a base camp so that they could start the acclimatization process.

**[Two Days Later]**

The weather had settled down for the past day as everyone got a good view of the land around them. The whole place was a winter wonderland, with a few rocks jutting out of the white to break the perfect soft landscape. Lion-o was hit by a few snowballs that the cubs had made, and Bengali got a chance to go sledding. The hike up was slow going with the caravan escort, even though it was far easier with their support. Lion-o had noticed Kalihara rotating her right shoulder as if it was stiff away from the rest of the caravan.

"Something wrong with your arm? Any pain?" he asked. She looked at him in confusion.

"What? No, no pain, nothing like that, or at least there isn't anymore."

"Anymore? You were having pain in your arm?" Now he was worried about her. She sighed and looked around to make sure no one else was listening.

"I think the absorption of Philipp's life energy got rid of an old injury I've lived with since boot camp."

"An injury in your shoulder?"

"Yeah… look, don't tell anybody, it was a foolish thing to do, and it's gone now, so it's not like it's a big deal."

"I wasn't going to spread the information around. If you want to share, I'll listen; if not, don't worry about it, I just want to make sure you're alright" he replied, his hands up in surrender as he gazed at her. She sighed, a half-hearted chuckle escaping her lips.

"I was bet that I couldn't fire an A46 standing without assistance in boot. An A46 is an anti-material armor-piercing rifle designed to be on a stabilizer. Maybe it was the booze that were snuck in or maybe it was me being young and stupid, but I took the bet."

"I'm guessing it didn't end well" Lion-o said wincing.

"It didn't. I was sent to the med ward with a hair line fractured collar bone and a thrown shoulder. It never exactly healed right; it's why I always have a pad attached to my right shoulder and a modified stock on my Lochlear."

"But it's gone now."

"Yeah, I guess whatever that spell did had an effect on my shoulder, and I'm still getting used to not feeling anything at that spot. Kind of weird."

"It also got rid of one of those black marks on your jaw. I thought that was just your fur."

Kalihara immediately reached up to her chin to feel for the black marks, and noticed there was one area that was smooth fur again.

"Oook… that's something else missing…" she said to herself as she felt the other side of her jaw for the other mark.

"So those are scars? Why are they black then?"

"One was from shrapnel because I didn't duck fast enough during one mission, and the other was… let's just say don't get near a one eyed Saber Tooth Tigress in a bar fight… even if she's on your side… I had them tattooed over to hide the scars. I guess the ink goes with the scar tissue. That's one way to get rid of a tat."

Lion-o eyed Kalihara up and down, noticing the effect the spell had on her age. It wasn't much of a difference, and it hadn't taken the memories that matched any of the years that it had taken from her, but she did seem somewhat younger to him.

"I think you look nice, without that scar… I mean you looked nice with the scar too… what I mean to say is… um…" he started to stutter out as he tried to find the words, stumbling through ways to fix what he said as he scratched his chin in thought.

"I get the picture Lion-o; quit while you're still par for the course." He stopped and watched as she walked forward away from him.

"Wait, does that mean… do I have a… hang on, wait a minute" he stuttered out just as she brought up a fist as everyone else stopped. An echoing roar bounced around the ice and snow over the landscape from the distance.

"What was that?" Tygra asked.

"The native wildlife I'd assume" Cheetara responded as she engaged her staff, the wooden pole expanding to its full length. The sherpas were uneasy as they looked around, with the caravan stopping to listen.

"That sounded feline" Lynx-o commented.

"I hope it's not larger than we are" Bengali grumbled.

A soft roar came from the distance again, further away.

"Hopefully it's hunting with intelligence and isn't thinking of jumping a fully armed caravan" Panthro spoke up as he bit into some jerky. The cubs seemed mostly curious to the direction the sounds were coming from as opposed to scared that the creature would attack the escort. Fear didn't seem to register in their expressions, as they hadn't yet seen what was making the noises beyond the edge of the wagons and ice. The sounds disappeared completely after the third roar.

"There will be guards posted tonight" Celica announced as she stood up and walked over to the head of the caravan to explain the situation.

**[The next morning]**

The caravan moved slowly up the side of the mountain further and further with each hour that passed. Breakfast was quick despite Celica's annoyance with being rushed. Kalihara was the fastest at finishing her food, and already had her bubble tent compressed down into its canister and packed away by the time the others had eaten. As they reached closer and closer to the altitude at which they could make a base camp, they noticed the mountain itself seemed hook shaped at the top.

"Didn't see that when we were flying" Bengali commented as he stopped to look up with his hand shielding his eyes from the bright sunlight.

"We also came from the opposite direction, so we wouldn't have gotten a glimpse until now" Tygra replied. Just then, one of the wagons slid on some ice, rocking hard as two boxes fell out and slammed into Tygra's cheek as he tried to dodge. The corner of one of the containers bruised his face as he fell on the ground with the luggage lying on top of him. The others were quick to get them off of him as Cheetara kneeled beside the tiger prince and helped him up. Once he was on his feet, Cheetara reached up with the palm of her hand and cupped his cheek. Her fingers glowed faintly as she willed the light wound to heal quickly.

"Thanks" he said softly as his own hand reached up and held hers.

"You're welcome" she replied as they gazed into each other's eyes. Lion-o cleared his throat as they both turned to look at him.

"Oh come on, it's not like you wouldn't want a similar moment to happen with a certain someone right?" Tygra replied to Lion-o's interruption. The young king looked at Kalihara on the opposite side of the wagon, with her rifle aimed out towards the other side of a wide crevice. Celica chastised the sherpas who didn't tie down the boxes in the wagon as he walked over to see what she was staring at through her scope.

"Getting a good view of the scener-" Lion-o started to say just as her hand went up for him to be silent.

"Found what was hunting out here, and it's watching us" she interrupted as he immediately tensed up. She handed her rifle to him, allowing his eyes to see just what was making those sounds. What he saw through the scope had him in awe. A very large blue and white snow tiger was watching the entire time they were heading up the makeshift path on the mountain.

"Is it waiting for a chance to attack? I can't tell from the body language" he asked as he handed the rifle back to the lioness.

"I haven't the faintest clue. It's staying at range from us, so at least it knows we've got the numbers even if it's got the mass. No one should wander too far away from the caravan though" she warned as they both turned their attention to the workers now pushing the boxes back into the wagon and bringing it back in line with the others.

"This place should have its name changed to Hook Mountain" Kit said more to herself than anyone else.

"The name does kind of fit for it, I agree" Kat replied as they sat on the back of one of the wagons.

**[Two Days Later]**

"Finally, now to acclimatize like we planned" Panthro huffed as the tents were slowly set up. The entire camp was extremely sluggish from the low oxygen level at the altitude they were at. For the next few days they would rest and try and relax until their lungs got used to the air being thinner around them. Celica had brought along a satchel of blue gems that apparently could be attached to a small leather collar. Once worn around the neck, the gem magically would produce large amounts of oxygen for the wearer, at least until the incantation wore out. There were other bags of the gems stored in the wagons, to help quicken the process and prevent any problems. Lion-o had to order her to provide some to Kalihara, who was relying on her mask for the entire time and a rebreather system attachment along with canisters she changed every four hours. Her oxygen tanks weren't as efficient as the little blue gems, and were even more bulky.

"Here, wear this" Lion-o said quietly as he sat down next to the lioness as she cleaned her pistol.

"Thank you" she replied as she clipped the collar around her neck and rotated the gem to the front. There was a faint glow as the incantation on the gem activated, and she disengaged the rebreather as her mask slipped away to reveal the rest of her face.

"We should be careful with relying on these, it'll lengthen the time we need to stay here."

"Or we could just use these the entire time and reach the peak quicker than we expected" Lion-o retorted. Kalihara shrugged, not really caring either way.

"If that's what you order us to do."

"Is something bothering you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you've been standoffish lately of the group. I take it you don't like being near Celica?" Kalihara glanced at him, her eyes moving quickly back down to her pistol and then scanning the camp.

"Besides her attitude towards those she feels are beneath her and the fact she looks at everyone as if they were something she accidentally stepped in, no, no problem at all."

"Ok, so she can be a little heavy handed to others…" Lion-o caught the slight glare and raised eyebrow from her as her hands stopped cleaning her pistol, her head slowly lifting as her face turned towards him in an equally slow motion.

"A little?" she asked.

"Ok, so… she might need to learn a thing or two about treating others with respect, and you have to admit she has been brought up by a tyrant father." Kalihara gave him a slow blink, her eyelids closed for what seemed like an hour and yet was only a few seconds as she chose her words carefully.

"Fine. Teach her how to do that." The lioness put her sidearm back into her holster and got up from her seat, walking towards her small tent.

"Wait, what?" he asked after her in confusion. She stopped and turned halfway and looked at him.

"You want temperance from us, you have to make sure she learns how to socialize with the rest of us. There has to be a compromise to this." There was an urge to argue against her command, to let her know she couldn't make him do anything as he was king, but suddenly he realized she was simply looking to accept his request to keep her temper under control if Celica ever treated her as an underling instead of a member of the team, and he would work to teach the princess how to accept others as competent equals. They were all in the fight together against Mumm-ra. He also realized Kalihara's temper simply wasn't existent. She'd had arguments with Tygra, Bengali, and Panthro, and each time she was able to keep calm and collected while the others would blow up. Almost every argument wasn't even about her, it involved something about their trip to Lyon, or about Bahati or the cubs or something else. She was simply there for them to yell at, and she quickly diffused their temper quite easily with reason and logic.

"I… understand." Kalihara nodded as if some illusionary pact had been signed by him, his writing of his name etched into thin air. She turned back around and continued towards her tent. An echoing roar bounced off the ice and walls of the small overhang jutting from the mountain that the camp was set under. Lion-o immediately perked up to the sound and looked around, alert to an enemy presence, some visual acknowledgement of whatever beast made the noise. It had to have been the snow tiger.

"You should get some rest Lion-o, you are on edge. The guards will keep us protected, do not worry" Celica told him as she sauntered over to him from her own tent. Her blue necklace glowed in the dark as she held out a cup of warmed liquid for him to drink. He accepted it, and before he knew what it was, took a sip and swallowed. He immediately knew it was something alcoholic as it cleared his sinuses quickly.

"Uh… I don't think I need this… or should be drinking this…" he said hesitantly as his eyes stared into the cup.

"It will settle your nerves, and allow you to sleep better. Come, let's go to bed."

"I sleep in another tent Celica, remember?"

"Can I not escort you to yours? Is it a problem for me to want to make sure you are comfortable?" she asked, staring up into his eyes.

"I… guess…" she wrapped her arm through his and slowly led him to his royal tent as his eyes searched for help from the one woman he hoped would notice his predicament. She had already disappeared into her own sanctuary.

**[Meanwhile]**

"Kalihara, are you in there?"

The tent door unsnapped as a small peep hole opened, a green eye peering through it.

"Yes I am, what's wrong you two?" she asked as she saw the Wiley cubs standing there.

"We'd rather not sleep in the guard's tent. Those guys can really snore" Kit explained as Kat clasped his hands over his ears. Snarf shoved two fingers into his own, and then tried to replace them with nearby snow. He immediately realized that was a bad idea when he felt the cold and knocked the globs right out.

"Well my tent isn't very big, ask… ask Bengali and Panthro if-" she was immediately interrupted.

"They're the ones who are snoring" Kat told her. She sighed and looked around at nothing in particular.

"What about Tygra and Chee… nevermind, that wouldn't be a good idea." She could imagine them fooling around in their tent, as he was a prince and she was his lover.

"Please? Can we sleep in here with you?" Kit asked.

"There isn't much room… just enough for one… let me see if I can't move some stuff around; go get your sleeping bags." They both shot off towards the guard's tent to grab their blankets and pillows as the lioness quickly looked around her, trying to move a small box of alloys she had nano-engineered from different metals Bengali smelted in Lyon. She'd need them if anything was wrong with her goggles, as her thermal reaction vision was still offline.

The cubs knocked on the soft panel door again, and it fully unlatched.

"Alright you two, come in. I have no idea how this is going to work out, but at least there's a bit more room."

**[Morning]**

"Calm, slow breaths." Cheetara gave Lion-o instructions as they both sat down cross-legged in his tent on pillows. Both of their eyes were closed, with their bodies facing towards each other.

"Almost…" he whispered to himself as he slowly reached a focus point in his vision, with no thoughts entering his mind as well as the sounds filtered out from the outside. The flaps of the tent opened with Tygra standing there watching them. A loud CLAP! sounded through the tent as he made the noise with his hands to get their attention. Cheetara's eyes sprung open, as did Lion-o's as he nearly fell backwards off his pillow.

"Breakfast is ready" the tiger prince told them chuckling.

"Tygra, seriously, did you have to do that? That was incredibly rude" Cheetara berated him as she stood up and waved an agitated finger at him.

"What? So you two don't want to eat? Fine fine, it'll get cold if you don't hurry. The cleric training hub bub can wait for his majesty until after he's got a full stomach." Cheetara bristled immediately at what Tygra had said.

"Cleric hub bub?" she asked, her teeth grinding together.

"Well, I mean, it might work for you, but we've been training by sword and shield and spear, I don't know if anything he learns from this would actually help-" Cheetara stormed by Tygra and out of the tent.

"Hey! Oh no… I didn't mean it like that! Hey! Wait!" he ran after her, leaving Lion-o standing up and sighing.

"Tygra, when are you going to learn to keep your mouth shut." The young king ran his fingers through his red hair and blew out a breath through pursed lips, and then went to get dressed. As he finished with his furred cloak he was given as a gift and left the tent, he could see the bustle of the camp as workers ate and built a makeshift fence in between the tents to barricade themselves in from any predators that might be snooping around. He noticed Panthro and Bengali sitting by a cooking pot hanging over an open fire, eating the morning meal.

"Hey, all of this for one tiger making noise during the night?" he asked them as he walked over.

"You saw the size of that thing Lion-o. We can't afford to be lax in protection, especially when we're this high up without help." Just as he said that, two magi walked by carrying between them a large ornately etched red crystal towards Celica's tent.

"Wonder what that is" Panthro commented.

"Who cares? Probably something for some hokey spell she's casting. As long as it doesn't ruin my day any more than she normally does or blows the mountain up, I'm fine with it."

"How does she ruin your day?" Lion-o asked the white tiger.

"Oh come on Lion-o. Just because we went through a revolution doesn't mean it kills off old hatreds. She ate, slept and breathed looking down on us commoners because of her father. She still lets something slip from her mouth every once in a while, and we have to fight off the feeling to box her ears." The blacksmith shoved a piece of bacon in his mouth and chewed on it.

"I'm sorry guys."

"What? You didn't do anything wrong Lion-o… for once…" Panthro replied.

"You need to wrangle your girl in a bit more your majesty, otherwise she's going to fray a lot of people's nerves, and this caravan may just turn around" Bengali warned him as he took a sip from a hot cup of something black.

"My girl? What are you talking about? We're… we're not together. I think you have that all wrong Bengali, and I'd like it if that didn't get spread around." The red haired lion crossed his arms over his chest with a stern look on his face.

"I haven't been spreading it around, but it was just assumed since you two are always with each other and her hanging off your arm all the time… eh, I'll shut up now." Lion-o turned around and headed towards Celica's tent, just as he heard Bengali's voice drifting off behind him.

"Hey, Kalihara isn't awake yet is she? That's a first for her to be sleeping in" the white tiger said as he pointed his fork towards the small tent furthest away from Lion-o's.

"Not like there is much to do right now besides sit around and breathe, or eat" Panthro replied as he took a deep breath and ate some slowly freezing grapes.

"Just to be sure, I'm gonna go see if she's ok. Be bad if she caught a cold or worse… maybe the evil princess did something to her in the middle of the night while she was fast asleep."

"My money is on the commando in that fight, not the princess" Panthro huffed. The white tiger walked over to the armored tent and knocked on the small door. He heard a slight amount of movement inside as he waited, and a groan as he heard Kit's voice inside.

"What time is it?" she asked.

"Nine in the morning, but since we're this high up on a mountain, it really doesn't matter. First day of acclimation" he heard Kalihara reply. He knocked again and heard the door unlatch. Kalihara poked her head out and looked at him.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Breakfast is on the grill. Hey, you two slept in here with her?" he asked.

"You guys snore!" they both yelled at him in unison as they popped their heads out just above hers. He looked dumbfounded as he blinked.

"Sorry."

"Yeah. Kali's a pretty peaceful sleeper."

"No kidding. I woke up in the middle of the night and thought she was dead" Kat chuckled.

"I learned a long time ago to catch some shut eye wherever you can, and to get your brain to drop into that mode as fast as you can."

"So you're a pretty deep sleeper?" Bengali asked.

"Just because I can become dead to the world doesn't mean I can't react with a knife to an enemy's throat if they get too close to my bed" she replied. The cubs looked at each other and crawled to the top of her sleeping bag and pulled it up. They found her combat knife hidden under it.

"Uh…" Kit looked worried as they looked back at Kalihara.

"Relax, training takes over if I feel there is a threat nearby. Reflex kicks in, and you don't have to worry about it. Drop the knife please." Kat dropped the knife on top of the sleeping bag as if it had suddenly burned his hand. They both wondered how they would sleep tonight given what they knew. More than likely they'd have to find another tent to stay in.

**[Meanwhile]**

"Celica, are you in here?" Lion-o asked as he patted at the flap of the tent.

"I am, come in my dear Lion-o" she replied in her rich accent as he watched the magi enter. He followed them in and watched as they each stood in a triangle with Celica at one point. They had their hands out towards the large red crystal, with energy flowing from their palms towards it. The crystal started to grow brighter and brighter and small arcs of lightning cascaded off the sides of it and landed at the base, turning into assortments of food and supplies. Caravan workers came in and picked up the new supplies while also placing empty boxes and bags near the crystal, with any lightning sparks that touched them making the containers disappear. This was how they were renewing their equipment, to keep them going up the mountain and maintaining the camp. It was ingenious, as Lyon was just a hop skip and a jump away from them with resources they needed.

Celica stopped after the supplies were gathered and sat down in a cushy leather chair and looked up at him, smiling.

"I was just wondering what the crystal was for; nifty." He motioned with his finger towards the object that had caught his attention.

"There are many like it, though few ever used. There has never been a need. Oh, do not worry about our supplies Lion-o, your mind is on far greater things. Let me take care of these menial commands and logistics."

"Uh, well, if there are more important things to do besides sitting around and relearning to breathe up here, I'm willing to try." He realized he had absolutely no experience in logistics, only how to control combat lines of soldiers due to his father's teachings. He could get an army to maneuver and flank or provide ranged attack, but keeping them fed was an entirely different matter.

"Oh, you're so sweet, but I can handle this without a problem. Here, I had something brought in for you." She stood up and walked to a chest that she quickly lifted the lid and rummaged through. Inside, covered in a gold silk cloth was a gemmed belt. It looked practically made for a king.

"I had it specially made. I had wished to give it to you… as a… well… wedding present. However, as you have made it clear we need to get to know each other… I couldn't wait to give it to you. It has magical properties, and should help keep you safe." Her white furred hands held the belt out to him, and for a moment he hesitated.

"You… don't like it?"

"Uh, no no! I just… um… I shouldn't really take it if it's meant to be a… well… for a wedding that may not happen. I'm just saying." He held his hands up in surrender before his chest.

"It's alright. Consider it just a gift from me to you." She smiled at him, trying to diffuse his hesitation, which only made him feel more uneasy at accepting it.

"Uh… thank you." He accepted the gemmed leather belt and slowly wrapped it around his waist, moving the buckle to the front. Each gem suddenly glowed once in a clockwise spin before coming back to the buckle and activating whatever magic was inside.

"What… does it do?" he asked as he looked down at his waist at each gem.

"Well, there are many ways to harm a cat. For each method, a gem would use its energy to ignore the effects, cancelling whatever might harm you. They would need time to recharge afterwards, but one time, whether fire or poison or lightning or any other damage, it will protect you against." He was surprised by the capability of the belt, his face etched with slight shock as he gazed at each gem.

"I don't know if that would help against being shot by lizard pulse weapons, but it would at least stop the first round from ending me." Celica walked up to him and placed her hand gently on his cheek.

"It was originally the idea that it would stop assassination attempts against you, or at least allow you to respond to whoever is attacking. The first blow will never harm, though once you know who is coming for you, you may be able to counterattack, or block with your gauntlet." Her thumb rubbed softly against the fur on his cheek, and for a minute he saw in her eyes the affection she had for him.

"I uh… should… probably check on how the rest of the team is handling acclimatizing… yeah… um, thank you for the belt. It's beautiful. I wish I had something to give you, but I… uh… don't really have much at the moment…" he replied as he thought quickly. He still hadn't learned how to talk to women.

"It's alright Lion-o; your presence is a gift to me already." Her hand fell from his cheek as he backed away and nodded awkwardly and turned around, heading back out of the flap of the tent and looked around. He saw Panthro looking over three different crystals that must have been magical, and yet he couldn't figure out how they worked. Cheetara was sitting cross legged on a pillow with Tygra apologizing to her, as the Cleric remained silent and her eyes closed shut. Lynx-o was polishing his shield, which already shined so bright that it could be used as a mirror, not that he could see.

As he scanned the camp, he noticed on the opposite side Kalihara's tent door open, and there leaning his arm against the top and kneeling, was Bengali talking to a just woken up lioness. She shook her head with a small smile creeping onto her face as he chuckled, her hair in a bit of disarray with black strands popping out of place. Lion-o frowned at the sight. He liked seeing her smile more than anything, as well as her look just out of bed, but he didn't want her to smile when it came to Bengali. Jealousy was eating away at him as she nodded to something he said as the young king walked over to Lynx-o and sat down next to the blind General.

"Ah, young Lion-o, or should I say your majesty, how are you fairing this morning? Breathing well thanks to these gems?" he asked.

"I'm alright, thanks for asking, you?"

"I cannot complain. There is decent food, resting well, fresh air albeit cold, and friends around. I take it alright means something is bothering you?"

"Why do you say that?"

"Because you never say you are alright. You usually tell me what you are going to do or that you aren't feeling well. You always go into detail, ever since you were little."

"For a blind General, you're pretty perceptive" Lion-o chuckled out.

"Not all senses are physical Lion-o. I've known you since you were a cub. What's wrong?" Lion-o looked at the old Lynx and then gazed at Kalihara.

"I've told a woman how I've felt about her, and she would rather I wait for someone closer to my rank or some such. I tried telling her my heart doesn't work that way, but she's been pretty adamant about keeping her distance. Meanwhile, I've got a princess whose practically falling head over heels for me."

"Ah, lady troubles I see. Your father had similar problems one time."

"Wait, what?" Lion-o stared at Lynx-o with his eyes wide and his jaw falling agape for a few seconds.

"Yes, he was quite the lady's man. Why, I remember, it was a fight for his affection between your mother and a panther I believe. You already know how that turned out."

"My mother fought another woman for my father's heart?"

"Not physically. You see, it was a battle of wits and a testament to their personalities. While your mother was kind and gentle and looking out for others, the panther was wild and outgoing and always wanting to go on an adventure. Claudus knew that the characteristics of both were desirable in different ways, but he ultimately chose the lioness as his wife."

"Huh… so… this panther… was she… was she similar to a certain commando?" Lion-o asked.

"Ah, so the name of the lady you care for shows now. Actually… she was not. She was more like a certain princess. While their love life together would have been exciting and passionate, he chose your mother because of her caring nature, and what she brought to complete himself."

Lion-o watched Celica walk to two soldiers and order them to do something, her voice muffled by the wind and other voices garbling the path to his ears. She was stern in her commands as the soldiers saluted and reacted quickly as she turned her attention to a mage.

"A certain commando is actually more similar to your mother than you think" Lynx-o chuckled.

"What do you know of my mother? I never got a chance to meet her."

"Ah, she was a handful. Claudus was a strong ruler, courageous and fearless in the face of any danger, and always looking out for our people. But, when your mother entered any room he was in, his resolve crumbled, his will to stand firm against anything she requested failed. The feelings he felt for her, a warrior maiden, were far stronger than any metal or stone."

"Wait, mother was a warrior maiden? Does Tygra know?"

"It was kept hidden. Warrior maidens were an aging order of all women. Some still live in a forest a bit a ways from here."

"So mother fought… doesn't sound like her really if she was kind and gentle."

"She didn't truly fight. I don't know her exact position in the hierarchy, but I knew she held quite a bit of sway. Maybe if they are still there, I can introduce you to them, if my aging mind can remember the way" Lynx-o chuckled.

"Your nose could lead us to the stone fragment if the book doesn't, so a forest wouldn't be a problem" Lion-o joked as he stared at the old General.

"It's getting a little worn as time passes, but it hasn't let me down yet."

The young king watched as Kalihara nodded to Bengali and pushed the cubs out, only to close the door. After a minute or two it opened again to show the lioness suited up and sliding her arms through the sleeves of her heavy fur lined jacket.

"Would you like some advice?" Lynx-o interrupted his train of thought.

"These days? I've tried to do things my way and it just ends up in disaster. I'll take any help I can get."

"So you've already told her how you feel?"

"Yes, and she just said to find someone else, because there was some princess out there just for me. I really am starting to think she doesn't feel the same way." Lynx-o let out a hearty guffaw as he clapped Lion-o on the back twice.

"And she has had a life before all of this, yes?"

"Yeah, a husband and son. They're both dead."

"Ah, lost family. Mourning is hard for even the strongest warrior. And you've tried listening to everything she has to say?"

"What little she does say. Most of it is just reporting what she's doing when we're out of the Feliner, which target she's attacking, responding to questions with as short an answer as she can muster. She'll explain different things to make sure I understand, but it feels like she's just instructing me, not… not really talking about herself."

"Hmm… I'm assuming she thinks you are with the princess?"

"Just about everyone seems to think that. I just… I don't know."

"You should."

"What?" Lion-o blinked at Lynx-o as the old Lynx smiled.

"You should know where your heart lies. She may think the same, but you have to prove you aren't going anywhere. Stand firm on your feelings, help her with whatever she may need to start this new life, and simply care."

"That may involve a rather angry lioness pouncing at me if I get in her way."

"On a battlefield, sometimes the only way to break through a fortified position is to charge with superior numbers. Regardless of the defenses, some of your forces will make it through, and those protective barriers will fall. Those soldiers may fall, one after another as they charge, but if their morale is high, knowing what they need to do, then they will not fail. In life and love, sometimes you need to take the same route, head first, take the hits you need to take, and continue."

"Wait, the hits if she says she doesn't feel the same?" Lynx-o laughed.

"No my liege, no. I mean she's more than likely going to be a hard one to get close to, but worth it if you put everything into staying by her side." Lion-o took a deep breath and blew it out in a puckered up mouth.

"Until you hear her feelings are not the same, you do not admit defeat if you truly care." The young king immediately looked at Kalihara and then at Lynx-o as the lioness headed to the hanging pot over a campfire.

"That's the same thing I heard from… uh… someone… an old tiger…" Lion-o muttered out.

"Then maybe you need to take it to heart." Tygra walked close to Cheetara storming away from her pillow over to sit next to Kalihara, who was a bit confused with the hard landing she produced on the bench she was sitting on.

"I'm sorry! Alright? I'm sorry, it didn't come out the way I expected, and you didn't let me finish."

"Finish insulting me? Finish insulting the clerics, what few of us there are left?" she snapped up at him. Kalihara just blinked as she dredged a cup from a smaller pot with coffee in it, and took a biscuit from a tray along with some bacon and eggs.

"No! Finish saying it may work for you, but our mindset isn't the same. Going toe to toe with others without the same speed you have is different. We can't afford to take deep breathes sometimes and control our attacks."

"You don't think I'm not in the thick of it as well? I carry a staff Tygra, I wield it, I hit things with it, and if it wasn't for that staff, sometimes you might have taken a few hits outside of your view."

"It works for you, Cheetara. You've been trained since I started at that gate as a guard with a spear. You've got so many beneficial capabilities, I don't even know where to begin. You're fast, you're trained as a Cleric, you just got those spiritual abilities unlocked… and you expect what you can do would make us better? We'd be lucky if half of what you teach Lion-o is of any use to him." Cheetara narrowed her eyes as she stared at Tygra. Kalihara was putting her coffee cup onto a small wooden table when the cheetah turned away from Tygra and picked it right up as the lioness's fingers left it.

"Hmph." The cleric drank down some of it as the commando blinked at her in surprise with her hand still hovering in place before turning away and grabbed another cup, a slight shake of her head in disbelief. Cheetara swallowed the coffee and put the cup down, realizing it was black as night with no sugar or milk.

"Ugh, how can anybody drink it black?" the lioness held up her second cup and pointed at herself. Cheetara blinked as she realized who the cup belonged to.

"Simple. You didn't let me put sugar in before you got the cup." The Cleric looked down at the coffee she had just taken from the sniper and winced.

"Sorry. Really, I am. I just…" she stopped and closed her eyes, took in a breath and exhaled.

"Don't worry, I have another cup nearby. Tygra" Kalihara tipped her cup in response to the tiger prince's presence.

"No thanks. I'm awake enough as it is. Look, Cheetara… I… grrr, I'm willing to do anything to prove I'm sorry. Look, I'll learn it as well. Teach me what you are teaching Lion-o."

"No chance, not if you aren't truly willing."

"Come on, if he can learn it, then it can't be that hard." Cheetara glared at him again.

"Tygra… think carefully on the stuff that comes out of your mouth…" Kalihara said out of the corner of her mouth as she sipped her coffee. The Cheetah looked away from him and took a small bowl with sugar in it as well as a spoon, and dropped two spoonful's' into her cup before drinking the rest.

"Hey Cheetara, I'm wondering if we could continue where we left off later?" Lion-o called from the bench he was sitting on.

"Of course Lion-o. We can start once I've finished ignoring your brother."

"Somebody is sleeping on the couch tonight" Kalihara whispered to herself.

**[The Next Day]**

"Lion-o, I think you've got it perfectly."

Lion-o sat cross legged on the pillow, oblivious to everything around him as sound didn't mean a thing, vision was nothing but an illusion, and his body seemed able to flow like wind, yet he was still in the same position he had been for the past two hours. When both Cheetara and the young king opened their eyes, Tygra was sitting right next to him with his own eyes closed.

"Tygra? When did you enter?" the lion asked.

"Almost right when you two started. I… wanted to see if this really works. Hopefully you aren't quite at the intermediate stage yet and I can catch up." The tiger prince looked sheepish as he couldn't meet Cheetara's gaze.

"It helps with letting off steam from yesterday, I can feel that" Lion-o chuckled as he sighed with little care about the world.

"I do feel calmer. Hey, I'm a bit anxious for a chance to do anything besides sitting around and breathing… nothing to do with this though! Really!" Tygra said as he suddenly corrected himself and shook his hands in front of him in defense.

"What did you have in mind? Leaving the camp is out of the question until we start packing tomorrow."

"Well, let's see if it can help with what we normally do. I don't think it can help you beat me, but still, it couldn't make you worse than you already are" Tygra said with a snicker.

"Oh we'll see about that."

**[Ten Minutes Later]**

**[Music: Woodkid – Iron]**

Multiple sounds of metal clanging together one after another sounded through the camp as others watched with interest as Tygra and Lion-o sparred in the middle. Tygra constantly had Lion-o on the defensive, with few chances for the young king to return his own strikes. It always happened that way. It started with Tygra on the offensive, waiting for Lion-o to think he was tiring out, and then his brother would return with a fierce retaliation, clumsily counterattacking. During that moment, Tygra would knock his sword from his hand and claim victory.

The tiger prince took a few more swings, keeping Lion-o backing up or blocking. Twice he parried, which he had never done before, which struck Tygra as odd but ignored it. As Lion-o continued his defense, he saw out of the corner of his eye Kalihara walk up to the edge of the circle, observing him. He had to win this in front of her.

_Alright Lion-o, don't rush this, continue carefully. He's done this how many times? You always lose. Something about your tactics. Change them without Tygra finding out._

"Not much of an improvement" Tygra chuckled out as he slowed his advance. This was Lion-o's moment to start his counteroffensive, which he always did.

_Always? I always do this. Maybe… alright, mix this up a little. Flow just like Hattanzo taught me._

The young king slowly took some careful strikes, testing Tygra's defense as he lowered the amount of strikes he returned. He felt something hiding in the back, some reserved strength waiting for him to mess up. He'd have to watch out for that, something he never did before.

"You'll never beat me."

"We'll see."

Lion-o started his counteroffensive, keeping some of his own strength in reserve. He remembered what the rabbit and Kitsune had taught him involving the sword tournament and his tests, as well as the championship in the monkey city. He needed to adapt, he needed to realize he didn't need to be the center of attention. Every time he tried to win against Tygra, he moved too fast, he was in too much of a rush. He was impatient. Just this once, he had to reign himself in.

As he slammed his sword into Tygra's one final time, his brother quickly parried and brought his sword in a full envelopment circle to try and disarm him… like he always did. The maneuver always twisted his wrist, and if he didn't let go, his right arm would break.

_Think… wait… he always does this… what if I just go with the flow… breathe, the wind just blew in that direction…_

Lion-o suddenly leapt and rolled over both swords, tumbling past Tygra and keeping his sword in his hand. The prince was surprised by his maneuver. He had always disarmed Lion-o with that action, and this time it didn't work.

"Huh, alright, guess I shouldn't hold back then." Tygra laid into him again as Lion-o went into a defensive posture. Lion-o continued to tumble and dodge easily, leaving Tygra open but not returning strikes. He knew Tygra would continue to block and try and disarm him.

"Lost your will to get at me? You'll never win if you don't land a hit."

"But neither will you, and that's better than a loss for me." Both of them were panting as Lion-o just smiled at his brother. Tygra realized that he was learning from his mistakes for once. The young king glanced over at Kalihara repeatedly, but her face didn't seem to show any emotion as to what she saw from the sparring between royalty. The ring of soldiers and sherpas disbanded as they went back to what they were previously doing, as did the rest of the team.

Lion-o watched as the lioness walked back to her tent and disappeared inside.

"Ready for round two?" Tygra asked.

"You just want a chance to win this time. Coming out in a draw is a win for me right now. Just you wait though, I'll beat you one of these days."

"As if." Lion-o and Tygra both smirked at each other as Cheetara walked up next to the young king.

"Ready for more?" she asked.

"That I'd be fine with."

"Uh…" Tygra cleared his throat as they both glanced at him.

"I'd like to… um… join as well if I'm allowed…" he mumbled out.

"What was that?" the Cleric asked with a catty grin on her face.

"I'd like to join in if it wouldn't be much trouble Cheetara. I guess whatever your teaching him is stopping fish for brains from losing too easily. I can't let him break my record just yet either."

"Admit it. Cleric training works. I'm surprised this wasn't standard for all guards back in Thundera."

"Most of them didn't have the patience for it Lion-o. Only Clerics had the will to learn… well, and you of course."

"Surprised you used will and Lion-o in the same sentence" Tygra chuckled.

"Tygra…" the young king growled.

"It just means my baby brother isn't so thick headed after all." The tiger prince smiled at him, a genuine smile and a crude compliment. A growl echoed off the ice nearby as they all looked about.

"It's getting closer. Hope it doesn't try and test the defenses" Cheetara said.

"It won't have a chance to. We leave tomorrow for the top" Lion-o replied.

"So we're really gonna be on the move?" Tygra asked.

"Yup. We've been here for a few days, and I think the gems can make this easier. I'd rather we finish this sooner rather than later, especially with that thing out there. The safety of everyone in this camp is my responsibility as king, and I'm not gonna let everyone freeze to death or get eaten."

**[The Next Morning]**

The camp was packed and heading up a makeshift path, which turned out to be incredibly difficult for the wagons. Every hundred feet was a task in and of itself as they kept getting bogged down or stuck on ice. The wind was especially cold as it bit right to the bone for everyone. Celica was complaining about the weather as it started to snow, despite the fact she was sitting in one of the wagons and not on foot. She continued to try and huddle near Lion-o, but he kept trying to strike up a conversation and be near Kalihara.

"So have you fixed your goggles yet?" he asked. She was scrunched up with her arms crossed over her chest close to the back of the wagon.

"Not really. I left most of my repair tools back at the ship, so I can only do routine armor repairs or seal breaks. I'm worried a wire is loose or something."

"Well, we've spotted one threat out there thanks to you keeping watch, so as long as we keep on our toes, it shouldn't really be needed." Kalihara gazed at Lion-o as he praised her, just as the wagon stopped.

"What's stopping us?" Celica asked.

"I don't know, let's check it out" Lion-o replied as they piled out. They came around to the front and stared. There was a collapse of ice and rock in front of the path, keeping them from continuing forward.

"Great… this could take days to clear out" Tygra commented from the wagon he had come out of.

"Couldn't we just climb over it and leave the wagons here?" Bengali asked.

"We'd leave too much stuff behind, and it'd take another two days to reach the peak."

"Huh." Lion-o turned around and looked at Kalihara who was poking at her goggles and staring not at the collapse, but off to the side and up.

"What's wrong?"

"I think it is the fragment that's causing my goggles to go nuts. Or I'm leaning towards it. I'm getting thermal readings now, or one at least." She pointed up to the ridge to the side of the path. Sitting on top was the snow tiger, large and imposing, but not coming any closer. It was watching them.

"Something about his eyes… I don't know, he seems pretty intelligent" Lion-o said as they both stared up, meeting the tiger's gaze.

"Or she maybe. You don't think… no, nevermind."

"What?" he asked.

"You don't think the tiger made that collapse onto the path do you?" Lion-o felt a grin creep up onto his face and fought laughing at her question.

"I don't think that tiger is as smart as the rest of us."

"I'm serious Lion-o. That thing has been hounding us every day."

"Maybe it wants something from the caravan? Maybe we're carrying something it likes to eat?"

"Besides us? Maybe." They both headed to the front as their eyes watched caravan workers placing small objects around the wall of ice and stone.

"What's going on?" Lion-o asked as he looked around. To the side of the path was a 45 degree ramp of snow and jutting rocks at different spots, much too hard for the wagons to move through.

"We're going to blow it up your majesty" one of them answered.

"I don't think that's a good idea" Kalihara commented.

"It's quite safe for us, and will allow us to continue up."

"No, not the collapse. We could cause an avalanche to come down on us."

"Preposterous! We're under an ice ridge that will protect us. Continue!" Celica ordered. The lioness walked over to the ice ridge and pulled out a spiked hammer, slamming it into the side of the top of the overhang wall. Lion-o watched as chunks of ice came away easily.

"Lion-o… this isn't going to protect us at all…" she warned him as she held a block of ice in her gloved hand.

"Celica! Don't let them-" Lion-o started to yell out just as the explosives detonated. The blast echoed through the other mountains and through the icy terrain. There was a sound of ice cracking and splitting.

**[Music: Epic Score – Desperate Moment]**

"Whiskers! Everybody to lower ground!" He roared as both Kalihara and he looked up beyond the ridge. Snow had collapsed and was tumbling towards them, but it was still a good distance from their position. If they stayed under the ridge, however, they would not only be under snow, but pummeled by broken ice shards and pieces.

The caravan members broke in all directions, with Kalihara and Lion-o charging next to each other down the slope. It was difficult for them to make any speed with the snow impeding their movement, and the avalanche just kept coming closer and closer. The lioness broke from Lion-o's side right as Tygra was next to him.

"Kalihara!" Lion-o yelled as she headed in a horizontal trajectory to not only escape the avalanche, but head off something. To her right, further away, Cheetara was doing the exact same thing as everyone else, but she had a visitor coming up from behind her. The snow tiger was loping through the snow easily, catching up to the Cleric with minimal effort.

"Cheetara! Look out! Tango on your six!" she yelled. The sniper didn't have time to pull her weapon as the tiger slammed into the cheetah's back and bowled her over.

"No… NO!" Tygra yelled out as he watched the scene. Cheetara tumbled and flopped against a rock, unconscious from the strike as the tiger picked her up and shot away as quickly as its feet would carry it. Tygra fought the urge to run after it just as Lion-o's hand shot out and grabbed his shoulder.

"We gotta get out of here!" the tiger prince nodded in agreement, though hesitantly as his lover was being carried away by some predator. They both slogged through the snow as fast as their feet would carry them until both of the brothers tripped and started to roll towards the bottom. Once they slowed and unraveled themselves, they saw the onrushing snow heading right towards them.

"There!" Tygra pointed at a cave to the left a few feet.

"Jump!" Lion-o yelled as they both leapt forward and tumbled in just as the avalanche completely covered the entrance. They miscalculated the size of the cave however.

**[Meanwhile]**

Kalihara was a very lucky lioness. She had engaged her mask at the last second just as the edge of the avalanche struck her, knocking her over and burying her in the remains of nearly half the mountain as well as ripping away the leather gemmed amulet around her neck. She could barely work her hand through the snow as she reached her rifle and fired a plasma round straight up, melting a tunnel a good foot in diameter due to the heat expansion. That barely gave her enough room to move her arm to a more comfortable position and start digging her way up. She was thankful that an emergency blow up vest engaged around her neck to help provide an opening around her head. She popped her head out and crawled from the hole she created just to realize she was under fifteen feet of snow. What she saw made her snap into action immediately as the rest of the caravan was in a similar fate.

The sniper rolled out of the hole, her body aching from the pounding she had just received as she struggled to crawl across the uneven terrain and dig at hands or legs. Others were luckier than she was, as they had been closer to the top and were doing the same. She saw the hand of Kit grasping and twitching as it poked out of the snow. She was suffocating.

"Hang on! Just hang on!" She yelled as her hands shoveled snow pile after snow pile away, with her fingers searching for the rest of the cub's body. They found her just in time as she pulled the little girl out with a gasp for breath. She coughed fitfully as the lioness searched for her brother, who was being helped up by Panthro. Lynx-o crawled out from under an overturned wagon just as Bengali's arm shot out of the snow followed by his head and the rest of his body.

"Who's up?" She yelled out.

"I'm alright" Bengali replied as the others followed suit.

"Lion-o? Lion-o!" she started to yell at the surroundings, wondering where he was. There was no response.

"Where's Tygra too?" Panthro asked.

"Lion-o? Tygra?" They started yelling.

"I can't see Cheetara either" Kat told them worriedly.

"I saw her get carried away by the snow tiger" Kalihara responded as they started to dig frantically.

"They could be anywhere in this nightmare" Panthro half whispered.

"Lion-o? Where are you?" They all heard come from around a half buried wagon, a dead body of a speared caravan worker next to it. Celica stumbled forward and cupped her hands to her mouth to yell.

"All of you! Where is Lion-o? I can't find him!" she commanded.

"He could be buried alive for all we know…" Bengali whispered.

"Hurry! We must look for him! We must get the others out of the snow! The gems create a bubble of air around the head, so they must be alive somewhere below all of this!" Celica ordered.

"We're standing on a Thunderian cheese avalanche then if more of those gems are hidden under us" Bengali commented.

"Cheetara needs help too. I saw the tiger head towards the west" Kalihara reported.

"She is irrelevant right now! The king must be found! There is no way to mount a rescue! She is lost! Lion-o!" Celica snapped as she continued yelling across the frozen wasteland.

"Are you serious? It has to have a lair, and it has to reach it. If we can reach her then…" Kalihara trailed off as Celica continued yelling at the ground. Soldiers were helped out of the snow as they regrouped from the catastrophe.

"Who are you more worried about? That Cleric or your king?" Celica snapped at her as her gaze turned to the commando. The others looked between the two women as the lioness just stood there.

"There's enough of you here to continue to search. I'm gonna do something about saving a colleague." The sniper flipped around and started to slog towards the top of the slope again, towards the direction she had last seen the snow tiger take Cheetara. With any luck the avalanche hadn't covered its tracks beyond its path, though with the weather still dropping snowflakes, it would disappear soon.

"Kalihara wait! You aren't seriously going to go off alone are you? Aren't you worried about Lion-o?" Kit asked.

"More than you know… but he'd never forgive himself if Cheetara was eaten." The lioness continued in the direction she was heading as Kit watched her leave.

"So it's official. She doesn't care whether he lives or dies. Then it is up to me to find him" Celica growled as she watched the receding form disappear into the snow.

**[One Hour Later]**

Cheetara slowly opened her eyes as she looked about. Her head hurt with a dull throb pulsating down to her shoulder, and the way light glinted off the walls made it difficult to keep them open due to their sensitivity. She felt she was being dragged, and as her sight focused more and more, she realized she was being moved by the giant snow tiger. Her face instantly contorted into a look of horror as she thought it would eat her. Its mouth let go of her hair as it gazed at her.

Her immediate response to being let go was to flip around and scoot backwards across the floor, her hands hitting fallen snow strewn about. She had to fight to get away. As she crawled quickly down the hall from where she saw the tiger, it bounded over her in one leap to block her escape and just sat there staring at her. A low groan came from its throat, not the growl that she was expecting. She immediately pulled her arms away from it and flipped her body, crawling like a crab backwards from the large beast. It padded slowly towards her, not in any rush to attack. Her back came up against one of the icy walls. She could only go left or right, and she could easily be cut off.

Her hand felt for her staff condensed at her hip, but it wasn't there. The tiger grew closer. As it came to within biting distance, she winced as she turned her head away from it, waiting for the killing blow. Nothing happened. When her eyes opened once again, the tiger was sitting on its haunches staring at her. It licked its chops before cleaning its left paw, still keeping an eye on her.

"Playing with your food? Just get it over with already." The tiger cocked its head slightly and rotated its ears, listening to her words. A soft guttural groan escaped its throat as it stood back up and walked up to her side, nudging her left arm as if to get her to move.

"Hey, what the- cut it out" she winced as her shoulder was sore from whatever had hit her coming out of the avalanche. She slowly got to her feet as the tiger followed her, always at the back of her knees as she continued down the tunnel they were in. It eventually branched into different directions, and every time she chose to go down one the tiger would nudge her in a different direction, never leading her and expecting the Cleric to follow, but more augmenting her path.

"What? Where do you want me to go? What do you want?" she snapped as it didn't answer, and only continuing to push her forward with the soft bump of its head. Eventually she came out into a large room with some furniture in different corners. It was very sparse, though it did have elaborate engravings on the walls as well as a raised bed area. The bed posts were made of huge mammoth tusks, with huge logs on the sides. Lying huddled under what looked like ten blankets was something breathing, a mass moving up and down under the cloth.

The tiger nudged her forward as she cautiously looked around, walking up to the side of the bed as whatever lay in it rolled over. The tiger padded up to the side and groaned as out popped what looked like a very furry… creature. Cheetara almost thought it was a yeti.

"Ah, my friend you return. What have you brought here today?" the man coughed sickly as his eyes looked weary. The young cheetah could easily tell that he was extremely ill.

"I have told you again and again; you must not hunt intelligent creatures. Take them back" he spoke again, ending with a wheeze.

"Who are you? Why did this snow cat bring me here?" Cheetara asked. The tiger pushed gently against the woman's back to get her to move forward a bit more.

"My name means little these days… all that knew me before seem to have been lost to a grave cataclysmic event…" a hacking cough erupted from him "-and I am to soon follow it seems; though if you wish, you may call me Snowman."

"Snowman? What are you exactly?" she asked as she looked around the room, her eyes wandering from spot to spot. Despite the snow in hallways pressed against the walls, the bedroom was impeccably clean. She had a hard time thinking that Snowman could keep the area orderly in his current condition however, and figured he had friends nearby.

"I am a snow knight, defender of this mountain and the surrounding lands, as all snow knights dutifully protect other winter homes for the innocent and just." Her eyes rested on a long spear with a shield looked to be carved from ice. How it was staying frozen was beyond her.

"Why did your friend bring me here? You just told him he couldn't eat intelligent creatures. I'm a Thunder Cat."

"I know not his intentions my lady, though Snowmeow may think-" he coughed a long winded cough, the sound of flem and mucus trying to be dislodged as his body fought against whatever ailed him "-you may have the capability to help me in my hour of need. I apologize for his actions." Cheetara looked behind her at the large snow tiger, and he at her. A mournful groan came from his throat as he looked at her, almost pleading for her to do something.

"He may not realize that what condition I have is not curable by any known medicine. Damn that undead creature for causing all of this."

"Undead cre- you mean Mumm-Ra?" Cheetara asked.

"So, he has a name does he? That foul monstrosity made an attempt at our shrine. He seemed to be looking for something, of what I know nothing about. All I know is that he caused the untimely demise of many a strong knight in this castle for what he sought, though he did not gain it." Snowman slowly pushed to the side of his bed and pushed the covers aside. Cheetara helped him sit up and push his feet out and down onto the cold floor. He thanked her as she could see just how ill he really was… and how tall he was. She was easily dwarfed by this massive warrior. How Mumm-ra could kill however many of him lived in this castle was beyond her.

"How did the others fall?"

"He cast a poisonous cloud in the room, one that would cause disease and illness with no cure to disband it from this world, per his words. Our healers did their best, but slowly, almost all met a horrible fate. They passed away before their time, their bodies disintegrating before our eyes. I believe… I think I am the last here. He could not win against even one of us in honorable battle." He coughed long and hard, and Cheetara felt pity for him.

"So there is no cure?" she asked.

"None that any medicine can make. I am sorry for him bringing you here to see the last moments of a dying man. Please, if it would not be much trouble, I ask but one thing. Take Snowmeow away from this place. He has loyally served me in many a battle, and has been my friend for a many a year even before. Please, I don't wish for him to see me in my throws of death. Take him with you. You'll find he is very proficient at hunting and protecting those around him, and would be a loyal companion wherever thou went." He was wheezing, his eyes watering from pain. Whatever malediction Mumm-ra had cast in that room, had done its job. This was a horrible way to die.

"You said medicine could not cure the affliction?... did your healers cast any magic?" she probed. He cleared his throat carefully and rubbed the fur around it, with her immediately wondering if he had anything to drink recently. She looked around for a cup, found one on a nearby table with a quill and ink as well as multiple layers of parchment as well as a map with many markers covering it. She grabbed a water trough that was empty and looked around. There, attached to the wall was a small water pump with a cut out square subfloor below it, probably used for showering as well as drinking water. She immediately went to it and filled the trough up, and brought a cup to him to cleanse his parched throat.

"Ah, thank you my lady."

"Cheetara."

"Thank you Cheetara. Thank you for hearing the last few words from a dying knight."

"You didn't answer my question. Did your healers cast any magic or did they just use medicine to cure this?"

"They-" he sneezed four times in a row, his head feeling as if it was spinning thereafter "do not have the capabilities to cast a spell that heals wounds or cures afflictions Cheetara. I do not believe anyone has that power. We have learned a few ways to keep our weapons and armor frozen, to enchant our equipment to not frost over in these lands and to strike hard or to not shatter against even the mightiest of materials. To heal with that power is beyond us."

"But not beyond me" she responded as she placed her hands on his own and concentrated. Her small hands compared to his glowed a bright green, a circular aura erupting around them as he seemed to feel a bit better. She tried to focus, carefully pouring her essence into curing the disease, but she could feel the thing hiding in the background of his health. With each time she chipped away and cleansed his body, a previous area would become diseased once again. It was as if she couldn't keep his body cleansed for long, and she was slowly causing problems for herself if she didn't stop. She broke away and slowly slumped to the ground holding her head.

"My lady! That was… I could almost feel the effects that you were causing, healing what ailed me. It did not work, though I have never seen anyone do that. Not one of our healers knew of that magic you used." He said as a cough erupted from his mouth, his hand coming up to cover it.

"I'm not strong enough. Maybe if Celica was here she'd be able to handle it… as if she'd be willing to help someone else beyond herself…" Cheetara said more to herself than him.

"You did your best Cheetara."

"No. This was why Snowmeow brought me here, and I failed. I'm sorry. If only I had something to keep the disease from spreading so quickly…" she replied sadly, her voice carrying mixed feelings of distress and disappointment towards herself. What was the point of her being able to tap into her own essence if she couldn't cure the affliction that Mumm-ra could cause? She might be able to cure wounds, but if they ever got infected she'd simply be there to watch her friends wither away.

"Maybe the healers medicinal herbs might help" he told her as he sat on his bed.

"Herbs?"

"Yes. They were further in the castle. They are the main reason I have survived until now. What few poultices I was given have staved off the disease for this long. I don't know if it has anything to do with the mixture or the preparation, for that was not my duty here."

"But they couldn't cure it… yet they might give that little edge I need…" she said to herself. She slowly got up, her head pounding from her previous attempt at healing him, and looked at Snowmeow. He seemed to know what she was thinking, and bounded to the door waiting for her to follow.

"He shall lead you to the apothecarium where they have the ingredients stored. I warn you however; they have other herbs and plants there as well that may not go into the poultice. Be careful, as some are poisonous by all accounts."

"Your healers made poisons?"

"To bring painless deaths to wounded animals. Some creatures are beyond saving, and so are allowed to move into the hereafter quietly and without fear." She thought on it for a moment as she followed Snowmeow out through the bedroom door and down the hallway, now on a mission to save the last Snow Knight in this castle. Her thoughts were scattered so much between this intelligent creature, his companion, where she was, where her friends were as well as if they were safe, and how to get back to them. She would have to focus on the immediate concerns first.

**[Meanwhile]**

"Lion-o! Lion-o!" Tygra yelled as Lion-o pressed on the button of his flashlight and pointed it at his brother. They looked around at themselves to see if either was hurt before shining the light further away.

"Oh no…" Tygra sighed out as they both looked at the entrance to the small cave they were in. The front was completely covered in large pieces of ice and snow, with bits of rock and even some metal ore seen in some places. Just under one of the boulders were the straps of one of the breathing gems, with a cracked gem sitting right in the middle, useless. Both brothers weren't wearing one, so logically one of them must have belonged to them and the other was lost during the trip down.

"Can't go that way" Lion-o grumbled as he shined the light in the opposite direction… towards a concave ice wall.

"Whiskers…" he whispered out loud as he looked at Tygra.

"How long have we been in here?" the young king asked as puffs of his breath could be seen past his mouth.

"I don't know, but we can't stay here forever. We'll either freeze to death or run out of air to breathe."

"Both ways are blocked, so it's not like we can just walk through ice."

"We can always start digging."

"And risk even more collapsing in? I don't think that's such a good idea." Tygra waved him off as he got up from his sitting position and slowly climbed the wedge of snow and debris that had pushed into the cave with them. The amount of space they actually had wasn't much; a mere five square meters in total was the only empty space around them.

As Tygra got to the top and started to shovel away snow with his hands, Lion-o watched.

"Hey, I don't think that's a good idea, we don't know how much more-" he started to say just as Tygra fell back with even more snow collapsing down towards him, cutting the amount of space they had even further "snow is out there…"

"I know, I know, it was worth a try ok? We could have been at the edge of it for all we knew."

"I was hoping for that too." They both looked at each other, as Lion-o really did wish that Tygra was right and that they just needed to dig a bit to get out. How wrong his brother was.

"Ok, well, my idea went bust. You have any to try? I'm open" Tygra asked.

"Well, we haven't tried to go the other way yet" Lion-o smirked. Tygra looked up at the ceiling in thought, his mouth clinched in a thoughtful pout while his eyebrows raised.

"Worth a shot" he replied.

"Good. You take the first strike then." Tygra pulled out his pistol and aimed it at the wall, then fired. The pulse slammed into the barricade and ricocheted away, flying by the edge of the cave wall to the right as both brothers dove to the ground while it continued and hit against the wedge of snow that pushed in with them. It hissed as the snow melted to water and dribbled towards them. Out from the water a small data chip was carried along, which looked too advanced to have been made on Third Earth. It had to have belonged to Kalihara. She must have lost it when she cut across the snow to head after the tiger. He was worried about her more than anything right now.

"Ok, your turn tuna for brains." Lion-o winced as he got up from the ground and pulled the Sword of Omens. The Lion extended the weapon to its maximum length and slammed it against the wall… with no effect.

"Try again" Tygra said.

"I'm hitting it with all my strength Tygra! Ease up!" he snapped back as he struck again, with not even a piece of ice breaking away. He struck again and again, with no noticeable damage or cracks showing.

"Stop stop" Tygra finally said as Lion-o stopped and just looked dumbfounded at the wall.

"That can't be ice. Ice doesn't resist pulse pistols or swords."

"I'm surprised it resisted the Sword of Omens. Is it magical? Is it even ice?" Lion-o asked.

"What are you asking me for? Look, the way I figure it, we have three choices. Wait here and hopefully the others will find us-" Tygra started to explain.

"In which we may not be found" Lion-o whispered out loud.

"Oh my, our king losing hope this quickly? We're all doomed then, might as well roll over and die. Stop thinking that way. I'm getting out of here, you can submit if you want but I'm making it back to Cheetara" Tygra quipped as he put his hands palm upturned in annoyance at his brother.

"I'm not quitting alright? I want to get out of here too!" Lion-o snarled.

"Back to someone else as well correct?" Tygra smirked. Lion-o quickly looked away.

"Whatever, now isn't the time to give you anymore advice on women. The second option is to try and dig up."

"How? We don't have anything that can break rock. We have no pickaxes, nothing" Lion-o replied in confusion.

"The Sword of Omens may not break through that super ice, but I highly doubt it can be stopped by a few rocks. The problem with that is… well… the climbing bit." They both looked up. The ceiling wasn't much higher than their own heads, it was simply staying inside the tunnel they would make braced against the sides.

"Won't work. We'd waste too much air working, and we don't know how much is above us to collapse through the new opening" Lion-o countered.

"Then there is the third option. We make a tunnel forward and crawl through it" Tygra finished.

"Wouldn't we have the same problem as last time?" The young king asked.

"Not if we pull some of these rocks and metal ore to use as supports. Look, we just have to get far enough forward and then go left or right to get away from where the avalanche hit. Once we're far enough away, we just go up and we're probably out of harm's way." The young lion thought for a moment. It was worth a shot.

"Alright. Let's try."

**[Meanwhile]**

The snow was falling even heavier now as a lone figure trudged through knee deep snow and rounded a jut out of ice and rock, the ice frozen similar to a crashing wave. Her hood was up and her mask was engaged as she headed forward a bit more before stopping dead in her tracks. The trail she was following, the prints of paws had disappeared. The trail had just gone cold from the snowflakes falling around her. Kalihara looked around her, trying to find any sign as to where the tiger had gone with her companion. Nothing. To compound matters, she had no idea where she was.

"FRACK!" she yelled as she lowered her rifle and slowly spun around, looking for any marker as to where she was in comparison to the others. She couldn't recognize a single thing. She was lost.

"This can't be happening… this can't be happening… goddess this can't…" she said to herself as she shook her head in dismay, wondering why she blindly charged off without help.

"Lion-o… I am so sorry… I couldn't save her…" her legs crumpled under her as she fell to her knees, her body mashing snow around as she closed her eyes behind her goggles.

"I've just about gotten myself killed too. Please forgive me…" she whispered. No voice answered her words aside from the wind and snow moving about her body.

"Goddess, please help me. I know I haven't been a saint… hell, I've lost count of how many lives I've taken; but I need your help… please. I'm trying to save a life here, and hopefully save a man from the pain of losing a life dear to him. I don't know what he'd do if he knew she was eaten, so if you can hear me, please show me some sign to send me to get Cheetara back… and preferably without getting myself killed… or having another avalanche start…" she prayed. No answer from anyone, and for several seconds she just sat and listened.

"Sheck, I should have left that last bit out… sorry…" she half-heartedly chuckled as she shook her head in dismay. She sighed as she almost felt at peace with her fate of dying in the snow, away from everyone else, alone and afraid for the safety of Cheetara. Cheetara… she'd been focused entirely on her wellbeing that she had done her best to keep her mind from not drifting to Lion-o. He was buried under unknown amounts of snow and ice. She was worried sick for his life. Was he alive? Was he a corpse? How would she react if she did survive this and found out he didn't make it? What did she feel?

**[Music: Epic Score – Don't Forget Us]**

Her mind started slowly winding its way back to what she did feel, about how he had treated her and what it meant. Did she feel anything towards him the same way? She had nearly found the answer when suddenly her right knee shifted under the snow and hit something hard. When she moved it and pushed her hand under the snow to feel for the item, it turned out to not be a rock or ice. When she grabbed it and pulled it up, she was pleasantly surprised to find Cheetara's staff in her hand.

"Thank… you… goddess…" she sighed in relief as she looked up at the sky, and could've sworn she saw through the clouds a twinkle of a ray of light show through before disappearing. Further ahead, from just where she was sitting, she could see a rocky wall with scratches on it. She tried to use her goggles to zoom in, but there was so much interference that she had to pull them away. Her communications gear in her ear immediately started to squeal and distort into odd garbled sounds, which made her pull it away.

"Frack, it's gotta be the shard then…" she groaned as her ear felt better from no longer hearing the painful noise. The lioness got up from her sitting position and walked to the outcrop, pressing her gloved fingers against the scratches. These weren't made by flying rocks or debris. The tiger had most likely done it to mark its territory or to act as a way to navigate the land. Considering smell seemed useless during harsh snowstorms, it would seem logical the animal would find some other way to get back to its home.

"Alright, just gotta find another… there…" she said to herself as she charged through the knee deep snow and made her way to another rocky outcropping, heading further around the mountain until she stopped for the last time.

"That was not what I was expecting!" she yelped as she stared in awe. There, attached to the side of the mountain, hidden from view even from Lyon, was what looked to be a castle made of ice. Were the sun shining, the spectacle might have blinded her. She noticed there were no guards at the front entrance, no torches, and no markings letting anyone know who owned it. For all she knew, it was abandoned. A perfect home for a snow tiger with no one to contend against. She just had to make her way down to the door. There wasn't even a need to knock.

**[Meanwhile]**

"They could have at least left some sort of recipe book somewhere before they… alright Cheetara, stop bad mouthing the deceased…" she mumbled out loud as she looked through the cupboards and drawers in the small medical room. Despite no torches seen anywhere or even a candle, the place seemed relatively well lit simply by some sort of radiating light softly pouring through the facets of the ice the castle was made out of. Everywhere was fairly easy to see, with no shadows of any kind emitted.

Snowmeow nuzzled her hand as she dug through a drawer, and she turned her attention to him.

"What is it?" she asked as he padded over to a cupboard she had overlooked and tried to pull at the handle with his teeth. She walked up to it and, having let Snowmeow back away, opened it for him. Some pots and pans fell out immediately, nearly braining her as she ducked away. A small sigh escaped her as she looked at the big cat.

"I don't think there's anything that can help us in there" she responded as she saw more measuring cups and pots. The herbs were growing in pots around the room, with cut pieces in jars of all shapes and sizes. There was an extremely large assortment of material to deal with, and most of it was not for the poultice she was trying to make. If she put in even one wrong ingredient… the outcome could be disastrous. She closed her eyes as she shook her head and looked around at the herbs and parchment strewn about.

"I guess it was a little too much to expect the recipe to just pop out for me" she said solemnly. Just then, a book fell right out of the cupboard she had just open and fell flat on the ground, with a few pages falling around it as well as one bent partly with the cover resting on it. The cleric picked up the book, carefully holding the pages that had fallen out of it and tried to rearrange them back into place. Two were dog eared, with the corners nearly about to fall off from so much use. As her hands pushed the pages back, she saw recipes for all sorts of medicines, poisons, sleeping potions and painkillers. She even found one for making different fuels depending on the ingredients.

Her fingers flipped to the two that were dog eared and found lying on the first page the poultice recipe.

"Finally. So much time wasted on simply figuring out what to put in this. Alright. Let's get started." Snowmeow had a pot held in his teeth waiting for her to grab it and use to hold the ingredients.

"At least I have an assistant to help with all this" she chuckled. He made a soft purring sound in his throat as he rocked his head up and down, his fur around his neck shaking a bit in response. She started to read through the list, picking out what she needed as Snowmeow grabbed different measuring tools that had been knocked about. Once she had what she needed, she quickly used a piece of flint to start a small cooking fire in a circular patch in the corner of the room. There seemed to be a contraption that allowed multiple pots to be rotated into place, with some sort of thermal sensor built to rotate it when it reached a specific temperature for a certain time. The snowmen had created a crude cooking timer.

"No need to wonder when it's done then." Cheetara read through the list and poured what she needed into a pot, double checking each amount. Nothing said she couldn't put more of an ingredient in than was needed, but she didn't want to give snowman an overdose. Once everything was in the pot, she started the odd timer with a small dial attached to the wall. A clicking noise could be heard, along with the pot slowly lowering just over the fire.

"Now we just wait. I only hope snowman has enough time for it to finish" she said to Snowmeow, who laid his head against her foot as she sat and waited. His fur was soft and warm compared to all the ice, as her feet were by now freezing.

The wait wasn't long, as the pot just reached a boil and promptly moved out of the way and was lowered to a counter waiting to be doled out to alleviate some medical problem. The apothecaries of the snowmen were ingenious without the use of magic to heal. Not even Thundera had as robust a medical provider for any ailments. As she ladled out a cup of the brew into a strainer, the sludge above collected and produced a very foul stench.

"Oh goddess… and that's what I have to use too… if only the liquid was the medicine…" she grumbled as she held her nose. Snowmeow looked like he had a hairball, as he scrunched up his nose due to he not being able to cover it with his paws to block the smell. He backed out of the room and headed down the hall, waiting for Cheetara to head after him.

"I take it you'll supervise from a distance now with that wafting through the hallways" she said with a clamped closed nose making her voice sound nasally. She spread the mixture onto multiple bandages and placed them on a plater, and then walked out of the room. Snowmeow was down the hallway slowly slinking back to her, trying to keep his head low to the ground to keep away from the smell. It didn't exactly work, but he was trying. He looked like he was about to pounce on her. She already knew he wouldn't, but still it was a little startling. Her eyes wandered behind her down the opposite way, and her jaw dropped for a moment. Kalihara jogged a bit forward from the entrance, and upon seeing her waved… and immediately brought her rifle to her shoulder on Snowmeow.

"Cheetara! Back up quick! This way!" She yelled as she disengaged her safety and aimed down her scope. The tiger growled in response, his teeth baring as he got ready to dodge and attack.

"Hang on! Kalihara stop!" Cheetara yelled at her as she put her hand up and got between the commando and the tiger.

"Cheetara it's gonna kill you! Get the hell out of the way!" the lioness responded.

"Kalihara put your weapon down! He's not hostile!" the cleric pleaded.

"Put my weapon down? In front of an angry carnivore? He must have hit you on the head harder than I thought. Cheetara, he smashed into you and then dragged you all the way here! I drop my weapon, and he charges and takes me apart! No way!" she growled out.

"He's just trying to protect Snowman and me. You are the aggressor here. I'm fine, really. Lower your weapon." Kalihara glanced at Cheetara as she kept her sights on the giant tiger, the beast clearly ready to leap at her.

"I swear to the goddess, if I die, I promise you I am haunting you for the rest of your very short life" the commando begrudgingly growled out as she slowly turned the safety back on and lowered her rifle. She took a deep breath as Snowmeow closed his lips back over his teeth and no longer looked menacing.

"See? He brought me here to save his friend, Snowman."

"Friend? Singular?" Kalihara asked as she looked at the tiger and then around the hallway. The castle was quite empty aside from the three of them.

"Sadly, yes. I'll explain after we actually save him. I've gotta get these poultices to snowman or this whole thing will be a waste." Snowmeow bounded down the hallway with Cheetah racing after him, Kalihara sighing as she sprinted after, clearly outclassed by the two in the speed department. Once she reached the doorway, she saw Cheetara placing the poultice bandages all over a shaggy man that looked somewhere between a walrus and a bear.

"Alright, let's see if I can do this" the young cleric said to herself as she put her hands on his own and concentrated. Kalihara cocked an eyebrow and looked at Snowmeow. He simply groaned and laid down on the ground, watching.

"I guess I'm not much use either at the moment" she responded as her thoughts wandered to the others. Hopefully they had found Lion-o… and hopefully he was alive. She couldn't live with herself if he wasn't. She had abandoned searching for him to save his friend, just so that he wouldn't feel guilty about losing a comrade, and yet here she was perfectly healthy healing some new… thing.

Cheetara concentrated carefully, her focus slowly moving from Snowman's head down to his chest, then to his arms and finally to his legs. His extremities were the easiest, the chest and head the worst. She had no idea how long she was pushing her essence into him to cure the disease, but the poultices were slowing the infection enough to allow her to advance.

Just as she was halfway, Snowmeow perked up and growled.

"Oh come on, we went through this al… wait…" Kalihara grumbled as the tiger got up and popped his head out of the bedroom door. The commando quickly followed. What she saw immediately made both of them spring into action as Snowmeow shot down the hallway and slammed into Addicus who was flanked by multiple lizards with Kaynar taking of the rear at the main entrance. Pumyra was just in the back, firing at the huge tiger.

**[Music: Epic Score - The Enemy is Coming]**

"We've got company!" Kalihara yelled as she brought her rifle to bare and flicked the safety off instantly.

"I just need a little more time…" Cheetara seemed to be panting as she was being exhausted from the effort.

"How much more? This is a tight hallway damnit" the commando reported as she pulled back while multiple pulse shots flew by as well as a few bullets. She returned fire immediately after, as Snowmeow backed off and ran into the bedroom, ready to pounce on whoever came through after him.

"Frag out!" the lioness yelled as she threw a spherical object out towards the oncoming forces.

"Scatter you fools!" Addicus yelped as he whooped and hollered while diving back.

"I can't keep this up much longer. I really wish you had doors in this castle to actually take cover behind…"

The commando could barely swing her rifle out to counterattack as a withering wall of pulse shots flew by in the hallway.

"Almost… done!" Cheetara said as she felt relieved and almost ready to pass out as she slumped to the floor and rested her back against the wall. Snowman stood up and flexed his arms, feeling his strength return.

"Incredible… my lady, I must truly thank you. I did not think it possible. Were you to have been here earlier, you may have been able to save the others."

"Less talking more defending" Kalihara yelped as a lizard rounded the doorframe with Snowmeow leaping and tearing his throat out before dragging him back into the room away from return fire. His body took a few hits, though his fur was incredibly thick. He groaned from the pain of the rounds however.

"I don't think I have much… in me after that… to fight…" Cheetara panted as she tried to get up.

"Then let the spirits of the snow knights long since passed help us…" Snowman replied as he put a hand on her shoulder and closed his eyes.

"We're gonna lose this if we don't get more than spirits providing backup. Specifically suppression fire" Kalihara growled out just as Pumyra leapt through the doorframe and tackled the lioness to the ground. Snowmeow was jumping to her aide immediately, but Addicus was right behind his canine friend and battling the tiger away. The lioness roared as she tried to fight the puma away, rolling with her as she tried to slam her back against the wall.

"Hear me, guardians of the castle, ancient spirits of knights long passed. Help repel this evil force from our lands; help protect those who are your living brethren, who fight for the just and defend those who are innocent!" Snowman yelled to the room. The ice around them glowed as spiritual armored snowmen slipped from the walls. Pumyra landed a blow against the right side of Kalihara's jaw, making her see stars as she pulled her combat knife from its holster and fought to bring the edge against the puma's fur. The blade sliced into flesh as the Ex-Thunder Cat backed away, yelping like a wounded kitten as her eyes latched onto the guardians.

"Retreat might be in order!" Addicus yelled as he flipped Snowmeow away from him and ran, the lizards trying to fight against spirit snowmen attacking from all sides. Cheetara crawled over to Kalihara as the commando panted on the ground, her lip bloodied a bit from the hits Pumyra got in.

"Are you ok?" the cleric asked, worried she'd done more damage than she could see.

"I've had worse, trust me on that. She hits like a cub" the lioness mumbled out as she could feel swelling already take form. A huge black and blue bruise was slowly appearing on her jaw as Snowman helped both of them up.

"How in… I have no clue… ok, what am I seeing?" Cheetara asked, bewildered.

"Even in death, my ancestors can take form to defend this home of ours in our greatest need. We never renounce our duties, even in the great beyond of the afterlife. If even one snow knight lives here, then it will always be well defended."

"Talk about one hell of an automated defense system. The whole mountain can be protected" the commando commented as she leaned against the cleric, both women providing support for each other.

"They cannot leave from the castle grounds I'm afraid. They are only able to protect our home, not the surrounding land. That job belongs solely to the living snow knights, though I can rest easy knowing my castle will not be taken while I yet draw breath" Snowman chuckled.

"Alright, day saved here. Now, we need to get back to the others… and hopefully find the remainder still hidden under the snow…" Kalihara said as a small trickle of blood dried on her chin.

"The avalanche! Did everyone make it?" Cheetara asked her.

"I… I don't know… I shot off after Mr. Furry here while they were still searching. From what I saw, Tygra and Lion-o were still missing… they… might still be buried…" the lioness said softly as guilt seemed to wash over her face as she looked away, unable to make eye contact with the cheetah.

"You left before they found them?"

"I left to save you. I had no idea if that tiger was gonna eat you alive or not, and I wasn't gonna let it happen. Tygra and Lion-o wouldn't have forgiven themselves if we had just left you to your fate. How was I supposed to know he was bringing you here to save a life? If I had delayed… if I had delayed any…" Kalihara stopped talking for a moment and sighed.

"Who the hell am I kidding. I fracked up. I should have stayed. Goddess send me to hell, I should have stayed…" she finished as she kneeled down on the ground and picked up her rifle.

"You tried to save who you thought you could save. Your chances of finding me and bringing me back safe were higher than finding Lion-o and Tygra. The others, they were still searching right?" Cheetara asked. The lioness nodded as she sniffed, pressing gingerly at her chin.

"Then thanks. Without you here, the lizards might have stopped us before Snowman could have called for help from his ancestors." The cleric put her hand on Kalihara's back and patted it.

"Hopefully they're alright and above ground by now. I just hope it was the right choice… it's gotta be the right choice" the commando said as she stood up.

"Where was this avalanche by chance?" Snowman asked. Cheetara looked at the map on the table and saw where the castle was positioned, and where the path they were moving up was shown much further away.

"Right here" she replied as she pointed to a location between two lines.

"Hmm, I wonder if they might have fallen into one of the caves in that area" Snowman replied as he rubbed his chin between two fingers.

"If they are, then at least they didn't get crushed. We just have to find the cave they fell into. Maybe the others already got them out."

"If not, we have ways of finding them." Both ladies looked at him in confusion.

**[Meanwhile]**

"Back! Back! BACK!" Lion-o yelled as both brothers hauled back from the small tunnel they made as fast as they could crawl. The whole tunnel collapsed inward as more snow flowed towards them and closed off even more room that they were already sorely lacking.

"Whiskers! We nearly got a turn made!" Tygra snapped as they both laid there panting. The oxygen in the area was diminishing, and they were now feeling it.

"I don't think we have enough air in here to try another attempt" Lion-o mumbled out as they both lay on the ground, motionless.

"Then we wait for the others to find us" Tygra panted out.

"Yeah, the others will find us soon."

"Maybe when they get to us, you might get a big smooch for scaring the lioness out of her wits for being gone for so long" the tiger prince chuckled out.

"Tygra…" Lion-o started to say.

"Yeah yeah. I'll shut up. She's gonna have to find the courage to tell you how she feels eventually, and you aren't the kind to give up to easily. You're too stubborn to give up." The young king looked over at his brother as the tiger winked at him. They just laid there as the air slowly lowered, and they started to get drowsy. Just then, the ice wall near them collapsed into the ground as a flashlight started to move across the floor near them.

"They're in here!" They both heard as they breathed deep from new waves of air flowing in. Cheetara ran to Tygra and helped him slowly sit up and Kalihara slid across the ground on her kneepads and helped Lion-o. Snowman and Snowmeow followed behind them, watching.

"Lion-o! Lion-o! Can you hear me?" the commando asked as he stared up at her face.

"Yeah, I can hear you. Took you guys some time to find us" he chuckled out. Kalihara's face was awash with guilt as she looked away and didn't respond. Cheetara looked over at her as her smile slowly faded from seeing her boyfriend again.

"I'm joking. It's good to see you in the land of the living. Where are the others?" he asked as he slowly got to his feet, a wave of dizziness washing over him.

"I'd guess right above us trying to dig down. Whoa there, easy. How many fingers am I holding up?" she said as she put her hand in front of his face.

"Four. Now two. Five. One" he replied as she finished with her pointer finger up before giving him a thumbs up.

"Are you hurt anywhere? Any wounds? Trauma? Anything feel broken?" she asked.

"I'm fine. Really. I'm more worried about you. Are you alright?" he asked as he stared at her. His hand came up to her chin where the blood had dried.

"I'm fine, just a scuffle with Mumm-Ra's forces. Nothing we couldn't handle." Lion-o looked worried as she looked her up and down.

"I said I'm fine." He wasn't sure she was telling the truth as she pulled away from him as she scratched away some of the dried blood.

"So how did you get that "wall" to open up anyways?" Tygra asked.

"Long story" Cheetara replied just as daylight could be seen with some hands pushing away snow on the opposite side at the top.

"They're in here!"

**[Ten Minutes Later]**

"Lion-o! My dear Lion-o! I was worried sick! We've been digging everywhere for you! I am so glad you are safe!" Celica wailed as she clamped her arms around him and hugged him close. Her eyes opened up as they locked onto Kalihara.

"You! You abandoned us without another word! This makes no sense that you would be found down there with him!" she seethed out as her eyes narrowed. Kalihara glared at her.

"I went to save the only person I had half a lock on! She could have been eaten!" the lioness replied.

"That cleric isn't worth the death of a king! You were willing to run off after her and leave him to his fate! Lion-o! She was willing to let you rot down there!" Celica yelled as she pointed at the woman.

"What's this all about?" Lion-o asked, confused at why Celica was snapping at her.

"Kalihara ran off to track the tiger and bring Cheetara back while... we worked to dig you out…" Panthro told him quietly. Lion-o looked at Kalihara and blinked. She didn't look back at him, just stared at the ground feeling guilty.

"I did it to save someone's life…" she replied softly, though even she seemed to not believe her reasons.

"Was Cheetara worth sacrificing Lion-o? Was it?" Celica asked.

"You can't compare one life to another! All are precious!" Kalihara snapped at her suddenly, losing her usually calm demeanor for a second.

"Kalihara… Lion-o's life is worth more than mine…" Cheetara told her softly.

"Cheetara? I wasn't about to just leave you to be some tiger's chew toy, even if it didn't work the way I was expecting."

"While I'm grateful for your help, if you have a choice between saving my life or his, the choice is obvious. You protect Lion-o." Tygra was about to speak up, but he shut his mouth just as quickly. Even he knew she was right.

"Work the way you were expecting? Oh, so because you thought she was in danger, and she wasn't, you believe your choice was right? All who serve royalty know their lives are for the king! Even she knew this! The fact that your actions were pointless to begin with proves where your loyalties lie! You don't care for the king at all!" Celica yelled right at her.

"I-" Kalihara was about to snap at her, but her voice caught in her throat and a sigh escaped her lips.

"My actions were not of the highest tier expected of Thunderian military, and I have dishonored my oaths made to the Special Forces. I expect punishment equal to my lack of-" Lion-o walked up to her and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Good work." She stopped cold and looked at him.

"What?" she asked.

"You did your best to save Cheetara. You had no idea where I was, so you went for the easiest lead. What would have happened if she had been in trouble? What would have happened if you had stayed? She would have died, and though everyone else here seems to think I'm worth more than her life-" he said as he looked around at everyone, his eyes meeting Cheetara's "- doesn't make it so. I'm the king, and if I had found out that you sacrificed her life for mine, I don't think I could have lived with myself. All of our lives are precious, and if we're going to defeat Mumm-ra, we have to know that someone out there is going to come running to help us in our time of need. If we can't rely on our friends, then we're just as bad as Mumm-ra and his army. So, good work, and thank you."

"Lion-o…" Kalihara whispered as she stared into his eyes, searching for a reason he said what he said beyond the obvious. He smiled at her as her eyes searched his. Her eyes finally broke away and looked at the ground as his hand dropped to his side.

"We should scavenge what we can now, shows over, everyone let's get the wagons back together" Panthro yelled out as everyone stopped milling around looking at the king.

"Besides, I already knew you'd come for me eventually, so I didn't really worry" the young lion grinned and gave her a thumbs up. She looked up at him as Bengali walked towards a wagon, his eyes watching both them looking at each other before helping to push the wagon back on its wheels. Celica looked ready to strangle Kalihara as she watched both of them before seemingly diffusing and walking away.

"Where are all of you going if I might ask?" Snowman questioned.

"We're trying to find a shard of a stone that fragmented. If we can get all of them back, we can put it back together and keep Mumm-ra from gaining power. Then we can defeat him once and for all. That's the plan anyways."

"And this shard, where do you think it is located?" the knight asked, a curious lilt in his voice.

"Probably at the top we're guessing. Everything has been telling us it's on the mountain."

"On? Or in?" Snowman commented as he chuckled and looked back at the mountainside.

"What do you mean?" Cheetara asked as she walked up and stood next to him.

"Remember the caves. They are connected to other exits in our castle. Mumm-ra was trying to gain access to our shrine. From it we were given the materials we needed to enchant our equipment. I would wonder if our shrine would also be able to give what you need right now, which would be the shard. Would it speed up your trip if requested?"

"You know, that couldn't hurt. We'd be grateful if given the chance" Lion-o replied and nodded.

"It would be my pleasure to let you use the shrine. I must warn you, it does not give you what you want. It gives you what you need. Considering you need this shard, I don't see how that would be a problem, but it will only answer to those it deems worthy. Our Knight Commanders were the few who controlled the shrine, as they were deemed the most honorable and willing to dole out what was given to be used by us. This would make us cherish what we had, and never want for more. If it does not find someone worthy, it will not answer your call for its use."

"Whoa whoa whoa, find someone worthy? It isn't going to be surrounded by spirits asking for a sacrifice or hoping someone is burned to a crisp is it?" Kalihara asked worriedly.

"No, why would you think that?" Snowman asked curiously.

"No reason" she replied and looked everyone else in the group in the eye. They all knew what had happened the last time.

"It simply won't respond. It will search your memories, your actions, your words to those around you, find you worthy of its use or find you wanton. However, from what I've seen of your people so far, I would guess it should have an ample amount to choose from to fill that requirement" he chuckled out as he surveyed the ThunderCats.

"Let's do it then. Let's get back to this castle."

**[Author's Note: Yeah, It's been awhile since I've posted. Had difficulties with internet, time to write, and life matters to attend to. What a long strange trip it's been achievement unlocked for me. Should be smoother sailing from here on. At least no more phone calls from my friend saying "ahem, you said you would finish the story for me. I see no new chapters. This does not work. You will promptly fix this or feel my wrath." Not quite those words, but there were also some jabs to the shoulder to punctuate it so of a similar nature. Anyways, hope this is considered a decent continuation by all!**


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